Unknown Magic
by archaicwords
Summary: What if Lily was given the same choice Harry was when he volunteered his life in the Battle of Hogwarts? What if she chose to live?
1. Lily's Choice

***Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING! Except my belongings...and things.***

Lily opened her eyes and stared at the white sky. She sat up and marveled as her hand sunk into thick white grass.

"Hello love."

Lily started at the familiar voice behind her. She turned slowly, somehow she knew there was no need to hurry in this place.

Her Grandmother smiled gently and motioned for Lily to join her in leaning against the tall tree.

Lily took in her surroundings, a sense of deja vu washed over her.

Her Grandmother took her hand as Lily settled against the tall familiar trunk. A silence fell between them as the white unending twilight pushed Lily into her thoughts, there was no need for answers no need for control here.

Gradually she began to try to remember her last moments but all that she could see was green. Green like Grams' eyes, like her own eyes, like Harry's. A feeling of dread arose in her. Every member of the Order had come to know that color meant death.

Her Grandmother felt her tense and squeezed the young woman's hand gently.

"I'm so sorry dear. James was so brave. You picked a good man but he never had a chance. You were betrayed"

Lily allowed a chocked sob. Her heart breaking at the loss of her companion. The rogue who had taught her to truly live. Her shaking slowly subsided and she whispered her son's name, fearing that the loss of her last piece of James would cause her to rip in two.

"He's fine dear. He's fine because of your love." The woman's withered face stretch in a smile etched with pride as she felt Lily begin to relax. "He is why you're here." She paused, "Where is here exactly Lily Jane?" motioning to the ivory world around them.

Lily watched the leaves flutter from the branches and disappear into the milky mist. She wiped her eyes knowing she needed to wait. Grief would come later.

"It's a place near Mum and Dad's house in Cokeworth. Petunia and I used to play here before we found out I was different. This is where Severus told me I was a witch. This is where everything really began."

Her Grandmother nodded, "A place for beginnings placed at an ending. Well that settles that." She said briskly standing and offering her hand.

"Settles what?" taking her Grandmother's hand Lily stood to look into her namesake's eyes.

"This is a place of old magic. You enacted an ancient rite. Your killer told you the you need not have died but you chose to be selfless. There is no deeper magic than love. You sacrificed yourself for Harry and because of that willing sacrifice the ancient laws grant you a choice. The choice is yours alone Lily dear. You can go on with me to the after-world or you can turn back and live."

Lily stared at the old woman. She had died just after Lily had started at Hogwarts and though she knew her parents had told both of her grandparents about Lily being 'different' her maternal Grandmother's current knowledge of magic was surprising.

The surprise must have shown in Lily's eyes because her Grandmother laughed and placed her finger Lily's nose, just as she had when the girl was a child. "A good grandmother has many secrets."

On tip-toe the woman leaned forward and kissed Lily's forehead "No matter what you decide dear we're all so proud of you"

Lily watched, still unable to speak, as she smoothed her skirts and walked away. Looking around Lily knew she must do as she always had, move forward. Her hands found familiar crevices in the old bark of the tree from her past and with a familiar ease Lily Potter lifted herself up, back toward her child.

~'*'~

Breath filled empty lungs and Harry's cries filled Lily's ears forcing her to fight the headache building from the lump where her head had stuck the floor.

As she stood she picked up Harry's hipogriff toy and lifted the child into her arms. Tears threatened to flow as the full reality of what must lay downstairs throbbed forward with the headache.

Harry quieted, comforted by the familiar smell of his mother and took comfort in sucking on the leg of his favorite stuffed toy. Lily grabbed the diaper bag from the chair, the necessary expansion charms had already been preformed and all she would need could be found inside.

The blackened corpse of the most feared man in the wizarding world lay against the wall, apparently blown back by the shock wave that had left the house in shambles. Of the family's first home only their bed, the crib, and the chair remained untouched because of the additional wards and runes laid to protect them. Lily held her son tighter to her chest as she saw her husband's body through the broken floor. His perfect hazel eyes staring at the ceiling frozen is a fierce protective snarl. Lily saw his wand where it lay on the now cracked mantel next to hers. Wandlessly she called her own piece of willow and silently accio'd James' mahogany counterpart.

Harry began to cry in Lily's arms as his mother's magic emitted from her like literal waves of grief. Tear filled green eyes stared lovingly into their perfect match and mother and son disappeared with a pop. The grief stayed, a feeling that swallowed Rubeus Hagrid and the many Aurors who would search the scene for the pair in the following hours, a feeling that would effect all who visited there in the following years.

***I know this is short but I'm just testing the water. I have quite a bit more of this written and ready if you guys are interested. Let me know!***


	2. An Envelope

***I OWN NOTHING! All Hail Our Queen***

Harry opened the side door with his new key. A latchkey kid at last, he smiled to himself. Walking past the hall mirror he ran his fingers into his hair and attempted to tug it down. He was a grownup now and grownups didn't have messy hair.

Hopeless, he sighed, wondering once again why his mum wouldn't let him just cut it all off. He walked into the kitchen and waved across the fence to Mrs. Moore. His mother insisted that he let her know he was home and he loved the old woman for allowing him to do it from across the yard.

Harry grabbed the juice from the fridge and jumped over the back of the couch so enthralled by his new freedom that he neglected to notice the peculiar letter on the front mat.

~'*'~

Lily smiled as she hung up her office phone. Finding a house in one of the few British communities in Marseilles had been difficult, but worth it. Their small house was nestled in an area large enough that most of Harry's peers spoke English and French was offered as a secondary language course at his school.

Their landlord thought this refusal to integrate was just another justification for the French to despise the English but that man could find an excuse to hate the English no matter what the topic.

As difficult as he was, Mrs. Moore made the place worth it. She had watched Harry when Lily had first started as a reporter for La Provencal and had been unable to work regular hours. Lily had taken an editorial position four years ago and absolutely loved it.

Her nerves finally at ease after Mrs. Moore's call, Lily turned back to her computer screen.

"Ms. Black?" said a small voice with a very faint accent.

Lily looked up and smiled at her wisp of an assistant, "Yes Odette?"

"You asked your last assistant to remind you that today is today," Odette looked slightly confused as she stared at her predecessor's note, "the note is dated six years ago."

Lily looked up, drawing her eyebrows into a silent question.

"That's all it says... it's in your handwriting."

Lily took the book from the girl, her eyes widening with realization. Lily slowly scooted backwards and smiled at her assistant who was looking at her boss with intense concern.

"Odette I need you to push everything I have this afternoon till tomorrow or when ever you can fit it. I have to go home for the rest of the day." She held up her hand as the girl opened her mouth, "and I won't tell you why so that if Henri calls about his article you can honestly tell him you have no idea why I left."

The small woman began to scribble furiously flipping pages back and forth, already deciding who should be called first. As Lily gathered her things Odette called her a cab. Though her boss normally walked home she could see that the usually cool headed woman was becoming frantic.

Odette watched her idol rush from the building with wonder, there were few things in the world that could really get to Lilian Lee Black.

~'*'~

Harry jumped up from his spot on the couch as he heard the side door bang shut. The T.V. clicked off on its own. His mother half ran into the living room and looked at him expectantly.

Harry hung his head. "I'm sorry mum. I was going to get it done before you came home! I just have two chapters in my reading book and then I'm done for the night. I just wanted to watch this show first," Harry said, motioning at the now dark television.

Lily blinked at her son. Turning, she saw the mail still on the floor mat and she burst out laughing. Jumping over the back of the couch she pulled Harry into her lap and started covering his face with kisses.

"Ugh!... Mum... get... off... awww!... Gross mum!"

Harry pulled away and sat on the opposite end of the sofa. "Whatcha go and do that for!? I'm eleven mother I'm almost an adult!"

Lily smiled at her son, almost his father's twin, if it weren't for those eyes. "Oh, I just love you Harold James Black." Her son rolled his eyes but he leaned against her outstretched legs. She smiled glad he was still young enough to be comfortable with the contact.

"Why are you home so early? Did you get sacked!? I heard Robert's dad got sacked and now they're moving back to England where he was born. I told him if you got sacked we'd stay right here where I was born, right mum?"

"I didn't get sacked Harry I just decided cartoons would be more fun than work." Harry gave her a look that screamed his disbelief.

"What did Mrs. Moore make you for a snack?" she asked, pulling herself off the couch and moving toward the kitchen and away from his questions.

"Oh, she...uh..."

"I just ran back to get it!" Mrs. Moore said carrying in a tray of snacks. "I saw you walk up so I thought I'd bring tea too!"

Harry and his neighbor exchanged smiles and as his mother turned toward him Harry swore he saw the old woman wink.

"Mrs. Moore what would we do with out you?" Lily said as she snatched a biscuit, "Let me go change and the three of us can all have tea together."

Lily slipped off her shoes by the door and grabbed the mail, hiding it inside her jacket. Walking into her bedroom she placed the mail in her top desk drawer, quickly flipping through the envelopes until she saw it, her heart skipped. She shut and locked the drawer, silently wishing away a very familiar envelope.

~'*'~

"We're not sure Albus! Emmeline said it was similar but are you sure you want to risk our relations with France on 'similar'?"

Albus Dumbledore stared out the window of his study. For nine years he had ensured that a member of his Order was employed by the ministry's underage magic detectors. Though illegal, the member had managed to use James Potter's magical signature to occasionally scan all of Europe. Years of negative results had left the headmaster fearing that Lily and Harry might be dead, as the rest of the wizarding world believed. This coming school year would have been Harry's first year at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry but again the last search had turned out nothing.

Last night Emmeline Vance had sent notice that she had done one last sweep on July 31st, Harry's birthday. This time there was a blip.

Unfortunately it wasn't a negative magical accident and was therefore shown less intensely on the Ministry's scan. She was able to tell that it was in Marseilles, France, but that hardly helped. France was one of the most guarded countries regarding access to their magically promising children.

Though Hogwarts usually reserved it's invitation to students within Britain, Scotland and Ireland, on occasion exceptional students were recruited from elsewhere. France rarely allowed the owls through their borders.

Turning back to his dear friend, Albus smiled. "She is in Marseilles, Minerva, and I have found her."

~'*'~

Lily walked around her house turning off lights as she went. Harry lay curled up in bed under blankets Mrs. Moore had given to him the day before on his "birthday".

Lily had celebrated her son's birthday a day early since he was two years old. The day of his birth would always bring Lily regret. If he had been born a day later James might have lived. She shook her head as if doing so could shake the thoughts from her mind

Shutting off the hall light Lily went into her room and quietly closed the door. She pulled a key from under her jewelry box and opened the top drawer. Separating the letter from the the pile, she sat on the corner of her bed.

Albus' handwriting was impossible to mistake for anyone else's. The red ink seemed to glow brighter the greater her desire to read the letter burned. Finally opening it, Lily unfolded the letter and began to read:

_My Dearest Friend,_

_It has been many years since we have spoken. May we remedy that soon?_

_A.P.W.B.D._

_p.s. A doe may meet a cat if she fears a phoenix._

Lily sat for a moment staring at the post script before picking up a pen

***As per request here's this :D Thanks guys! Feel free to ask questions if you've got em'***


	3. The Weirdest Morning

***I OWN NOTHING! All Hail Our Queen!***

Odette stood and stretched her thin arms. Lily's early exit had left her with an exhausting day of dealing with her irate, now rescheduled, associates. She glanced down at her phone and saw the red light on the front blink, a new message; out of habit she waited for the second blink. She wasn't on call tonight but Ms. Black's rush to leave had left her wondering. The light changed to Blue. Shoving back her chair, Odette scrambled to grab her things, roughly shoving them into her purse and running out of the office.

Blue meant Harry. She needed to talk to Madame Maxine immediately.

~'*'~

Harry woke up to the smell of eggs and bacon. Smiling, he reached for his black framed glasses and began to panic when he saw it was ten minutes till eight. Jumping out of bed he yelled for his mother and ran towards the bathroom. Almost colliding with a still robbed Lily in the narrow hallway, Harry stopped.

"What are you doing!?"

"No summer school today." Lily said, brushing past her son.

"Why not?" Harry asked, relief evident in his voice. He was usually in the top half of his class and was the only one of his friends who had to go to stupid summer school.

"We're going to talk," she paused for a moment, "you have a choice to make."

Harry watched as his mother hurried back into the kitchen. Following her, he was amazed to see the table set and food that looked edible. His mother was probably his best friend but she was a terrible cook. He watched her pick up a stick from the counter and place it in the pocket of her robe. This, he thought, is a weird morning.

While he ate, Harry felt his mother's eyes on him. She hadn't touched her plate and the steam had stopped rising from her untouched mug. When he finished he looked up to find her staring at the cabinets like they were doors to another world. This, he thought, is a _very_ weird morning.

Hopping down from the breakfast table he accidentally knocked his fork onto the floor and jumped back as Lily snapped forward with stick in her hand. Looking around she laughed quietly and brushed her red hair back from where it had fallen out of its loose clip. She tucked her puzzling stick back in her pocket and took Harry's plate.

"Go change Goose"

Harry smiled at the old nickname and went to do as he was told. He wanted to know what could set his mother so on edge but he knew they had no secrets, she'd tell him soon

~'*'~

Penelope thought about calling the Ministry and reporting the van. A few spells cast as she walked by for coffee earlier had shown no charms or spellwork but revealed there were two people inside. A muggle van parked across from the park wasn't normally a comforting site. She sighed as more children walked in to be fitted for the blue-silver silk robes. I'll deal with it later, she thought, and gave the new arrivals her best smile.

The larger of the two dark haired men settled back in his seat.

"She's stopped staring, finally!"

"For now," The second passenger sneered.

"We'll be fine, those silk robes take forever to fit. I'm honestly surprised she didn't call the ministry!" he barked out a laugh, "Two grown men in a van across from a park? Half hour till they come..." he trailed off.

Both men glanced at the electronic clock on the dash board and reached for their binoculars. The larger man played with the dials, still disappointed at how little they did.

"We should have brought omnioculars," he huffed.

The smaller man glared at this companion, "Their charm signature registers with even the lowest detection spells. We're not risking it."

Opening his mouth to shoot back a biting reply the first man's words were frozen in his throat. He didn't need the muggle binoculars to recognize the red haired figure passing by the van's back window and walking toward the park. She was talking animatedly, ice cream in one hand and occasionally touching the dark haired boy next to her with the other.

Both men pressed their faces to the tinted glass, each for their own reasons.

~'*'~

Harry hadn't spoken in what seemed like hours to Lily. She had practiced this conversation over and over in her head in the last three days. Three days, she thought; time had flown by since both headmasters had contacted her. She'd decided the choice was Harry's and although she knew she couldn't live in secrecy forever, Lily had hoped their life could remain as it was for a little longer. No use in dwelling on it now.

She thought she had it all planned out, Lily had called the school and explained Harry would be absent Friday so he would at least have few days to process. Breakfast had gone better than she'd hoped and getting ice cream had gone without a hitch. The young mother even managed to remember everything she had wanted to say to her son. What Lily had not anticipated was silence.

Lily led Harry to a bench near the park's fountain and sat silently. She thought herself good at a great many things, uncomfortable but silences were not her strong suit. The two ate their ice cream, the sounds of the park seemed amplified by the words not being spoken, the boy occasionally glancing at what he now knew was a wand in Lily's pocket.

Taking her son's hand Lily squeezed gently and said, "I know I haven't been completely honest with you Harry. I won't try to justify myself or tell you it was for your own good. It was for mine Goose. After your father died, after," her voice caught in her throat but she pushed on, "after I almost lost you, I needed to be away from that world."

Relief flooded her as her son finally looked into her eyes. Harry opened his mouth to respond but stopped when out of the corner of his eye he saw a cat become a woman.

~'*'~

Minerva McGongonagall apparated with a dignified pop and presented her papers at to the French security guard waiting at the station. From there she took a rather unsettling cab ride through the streets of Marseilles. The French had always baffled the professor, so much muggle and magic right next to each other. How these poor people didn't notice was beyond her.

The cab had been called for her by the guard who had processed her and signed the document allowing her to take up her animagus form anywhere with in the city limits. She was triple checking her papers and trying to ignore the ridiculous sounds coming from the cabbie's obnoxious radio when the car jerked to a stop. Giving the man a glare usually reserved only for her worst students, she curtly handed the man a bundle of muggle money the ministry guard had sorted for her.

Tucking her papers into her hat, the bespectacled woman walked behind a tree and promptly became a cat.

After she had calmed down from the rather rough ride to the park, Minerva began to quite enjoy the town. The people here were kind, if often a bit to thin, and the children seemed carefree and happy.

The tabby's ears twitched as sounds of Arthur's van being jerkily driven up the street reached her. Even after weeks of practice Sirius was a simply terrible driver. Visibly wincing as it screeched to a halt in front of a robe shop, Minerva shuddered to think of the two men inside cramped together for so long.

Bets had been placed in the Order as to how long it would be before curses flew between the two. The teacher had refused to participate, not because she thought gambling was undignified, but because she knew that the love both men had for mother and child was far greater than their hate for each other.

At a quarter till noon she was startled to find the two she had been waiting for seated across the park. Sternly reprimanding herself for not noticing them sooner she jumped from her perch and strolled across the grass, not remembering till the last moment that she was still a cat.

~'*'~

The strangest morning in the history of the world, Harry thought to himself as his mother and the cat woman hugged each other tightly.

***Thanks guys! If anything is yet unclear let me know! I hope to keep typing out a chapter a day if homework permits! I actually have the next chapter done! As soon as my Beta returns it I will give it to you!***


	4. A Road In The Woods

***I own nothing, all hail our glorious Queen!***

Harry listened to the large woman with the thick accent. He knew his mother wanted him to choose this school and he had to admit that the place was beautiful. The girls were DEFINITELY beautiful. He suppressed a smile thinking of how his friend Robert would react. Harry had to fight back the urge frown now. His friend would never see this place or the many other amazing things he had seen today.

The child's emotions couldn't seem to make up their mind! One moment he was thrilled by things whizzing around and owl posts and magic schools and then next he was scared out of his mind that so much could have been kept from him. There was a wand shop only three blocks from his house and a robe shop across from his favorite park.

Harry's green eye's focused on Madame Maxine and he smiled as politely as possible, all of this seemed to be going very fast. His mother had left him here when she spotted her secretary down the hall and began using a tone Harry knew to be scared of.

The giant of a woman seemed to be done talking and was likely waiting for a reply. Harry choked out a halting thank you and tried to sink into the over stuffed chair and disappear.

Lovely as this school was, his mind wandered back to the kind cat. When the headmistress turned to address one of the many people surrounding her Harry bolted. He could hear his shoes slapping on their perfect floors and slowed only to gently open the door with a handle so dainty he was afraid it might break off in his hand. The small coach that had brought them up the long winding road to the school opened and Harry jumped in. Space, he needed space to think. The school was surrounded by a forest that was split by the fence, but continued on out as far as Harry could see. The coach stopped at the fence and Harry climbed out.

They had somehow been taken to this spot that afternoon by a pillow of all things. At first Harry had thought it would be like a flying carpet, but he realized it was too small. Instead, when he and his mother had touched it, Harry had been yanked from the ground like something had hooked him just behind his navel and pulled him through a tight tube. Lacking a magical pillow, and needing time to himself, Harry started walking.

Sucking air into his lungs the boy attempted to calm himself. He tried to think through all of the details logically:  
He, Harold James Black, was a wizard.  
Also, his name was not Harold James Black, but Harold James Potter.  
Also, his mother was a witch.  
Also, so was his father before he died.  
Harry repeated this all again as if repetition could make it all make sense, wizard, Potter, witch, wizard, repeat.

He continued the words in a rhythm until he noticed a rather shaggy black dog following him. He eyed the animal warily waiting for it to change into another professor, Harry walked faster. The dog seemed to smile and started trotting along more quickly. He wanted a friend, he needed to talk. Well, he reasoned with himself, if it was magical would it be so ugly? Everything he'd seen so far had been so mystical and shinny. Walking to a log he sat down and laughed as the dog plopped down next to him.

Tentatively the boy reached out a hand and stroked the rough fur, the dog didn't bite him and Harry scooted closer. As he grew more comfortable sitting next to the dog Harry began to talk.

Harry had already decided he liked magic, he told the shaggy canine as he stroked his head, it seemed fun and harmless enough. What really had him scared was a question both the big woman, and the woman who was also a cat, had asked his mum: Why had he done so little magic? Apparently, he explained to the dog, as magical children get older they show signs of their magic when they get angry or upset or too excited. This is how the schools find their new students. The dog was a very good listener and Harry was glad, he was sure if he'd attempted this conversation with Robert his best mate would have called him a loon.

Anyway, he continued, he hadn't really done much magical stuff and that confused the women. Both times his mum had moved them away so Harry hadn't heard her response, but he could guess what it was. He wasn't going to be any good. He didn't have any real magic in him and that's why she waited so long to tell him.

Harry had begun to cry and the dog started whining in response. Thankful, the dark haired child smiled at his new friend and apologized. He knew he shouldn't cry. He'd only discovered magic today! But when he mum had described it all to him he really had been excited. To find out that this wonderful world and all it's glory existed only to find out he was normal? What if everyone at school had more magic than he did? What if they sent him home?

The sound of his mother yelling made them both jump to their feet. The dog shot into the woods and after calling for him a few times Harry gave up and started off in the direction of his mother's voice.

~'*'~

"The most amazing part Albus is the level of calm she has instilled in their lives. She works a constant schedule, is open and honest about house decisions, the child is remarkably calm himself! Accidental magic is the one thing Lily knew she couldn't stop so she simply attempted to remove all stress from Harry's life.

I spoke to Madame Maxine's lead researcher on what they call the "Black" case. She informed me that the only incidents they had recorded were at his school from apparent teasing about not having a father. Even then the accidents weren't malicious, he simply found himself elsewhere. The first blip at home they had found was the same incident we traced."

Minerva was babbling but he didn't stop her, instead the headmaster sat, finger tips touching, and watched her pace. When she stopped for breath the brightly robed wizard interjected, "Is he coming then?"

The transfiguration professor stopped and looked around the room. Severus had returned when she had, his traveling companion had remained in France. The few Order members present looked on expectantly. She sat down and shook her head.

"Honestly Albus? I don't know."

Albus Dumbledore leaned back and sighed.

"She seemed so reluctant. It seems Lily hadn't told the boy anything and they had been living completely as muggles."

"Fascinating!" Arthur Weasley spoke from the corner.

"Well yes, I suppose." continued the woman, "My animagus form quite unsettled him and I was able to see his magic first hand. As I attempted to move forward I felt my abilities limited. I didn't try but I don't think I could have transformed if I had wanted to." Around the room eye brows raised and she felt quite proud at level of magic the boy had displayed in front of her.

A thin man spoke up, thinking as he went along, "But he won't come here? Is it Beauxbatons? We could go to the Ministry, he's legally a British Citizen. What are the laws regarding students removed from the country illegally? I think I may have a book..."

"Ah, but Remus, is this a battle we want to win by force?" asked the white haired man.

"I think, and really this is just speculation, but I believe if the boy had the choice he would choose Hogwarts. I'm sorry to say, the problem arises with Lily." McGonagall said frowning.

The words brought a twinkle to the headmaster's eyes and he turned toward his potion master with a proposal the former death eater couldn't refuse.

***Yay reviews and follows and such. Thanks for the support I'm throwing out chapters as fast as my BETA can edit them! Three cheers for Majerus!***


	5. Meals and Magic

***I own nothing! All Hail Our Queen***

"Hogwarts!" Harry blurted out.

Lily glanced up from her plate in surprise. It had been nearly three weeks since their visit to Beauxbaton's and neither had spoken of it since. Lily had began to use magic openly in the house and taken Harry out for lunch at restaurants frequented by those in the wizarding world, but no more was said about schooling.

"I know you've put a lot of thought into this Goose and it is your choice..." Lily trailed off.

Harry brought a copy of Hogwarts, A History from under the table and placed it next to his plate.

"I want to go there because you went there, and because Dad did too. I've read about it, and I've been practicing so they won't kick me out."

Lily looked at her son in confusion, "Kick you out?"

Harry hung his head, "I heard what Madame Maxine and Mrs. McGonagall said." He continued, looking wistfully at the castle on the front cover, "I know I don't have very much magic in me."

Lily had no idea how to respond.

Harry looked up at her with more confidence, "But I've been practicing! I can make my power rangers fight and turn on the shower and open drawers. I promise I'll study hard Mum. I read a little bit about squibs in some of the books Mrs. McGonagall gave me and I know it's shameful to have one in the family, but if I study hard maybe I can become a full wizard."

"You can do what?" the still stunned mother asked.

"I know it isn't much, but I'm getting loads better."

Lily began laughing and Harry turned red, thinking his mother must view his attempts as silly. It was a dumb idea. The books didn't say squibs could never get any better but the section was really short and they probably couldn't.

"Harry that's amazing!" The child looked up confused by his mothers tone. "Goose, children your age who haven't had any training can usually only do magic under extremely emotional circumstances. What you're doing, without a wand, is stupendous!"

A smile spread across the raven haired boy's face, "I can really go to Hogwarts then? They'll let me in for sure?"

Lily's smile faltered, "Yes, if you're sure you'd like to go to Scotland. It's a long way from home Harry.

The child didn't notice the change in his mother, "I've always wanted to see Scotland Mum, we read about it class. I can't wait to see the paintings. They really move there! And there's ghosts! There are four houses and a magical hat that chooses where you'll live! Which house was Dad in? Do you think I'll be in the same?"

Lily felt her heart sink as fear replaced the pride she had felt moments ago. He was leaving her. Harry was leaving.

~'*'~

Snape was doing his annual before school check of his potions supplies. He was attempting to give it his entire attention but he couldn't stop his mind from wandering to the fire place. The headmaster had promised to tell him the moment he received Lily's reply. It had been nearly three weeks of silence and his hope had sunk and turned into a knot of doubt in his stomach.

He was counting the cauldrons that hadn't been ruined by the last class of first years when Snape heard Dumbeldore clear his throat. Jumping in surprise, he saw the old man's head in the fire place nod. The potions professor felt like he might be sick. Taking a deep breath he reminded himself that no matter what happened, she was alive. Glancing at the only picture on his desk Lily's green eyes gave him the courage he needed to head for the door and face her reply.

~'*'~

Harry heard his mother scream and threw down his controller, bolting into the kitchen. He found Lily next to a large barn owl, doing what Harry could only assume was a dance.

"Come on! You're in front of a window!" Harry complained, though he was secretly glad to see his mum so happy, whatever the cause.

Lily laughed so hard that she was gasping for breath. She picked up Harry and spun him in a circle.

As she put him down Harry grabbed the paper out of his mothers hand and read aloud:

"Mrs. Lily Potter,

We were honored to be told of your interest in the position of Junior Potions Master at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We have reviewed your N.E.W.T. scores and would be pleased to have you join us in the coming school year.

Living quarters, salary, and any other concerns will be addressed at a meeting set up at your convenience. As the school year starts September 1st, we would appreciate meeting soon. We look forward to you joining the staff.

Hoping to hear from you soon,"

Harry trailed off unable to pronounce many of the ridiculous names signed at the bottom of the letter but recognizing some of them from his reading."When did you apply to Hogwarts?"

"I didn't!" Lily laughed. "I can't believe this! I mean, I applied to the Daily Prophet, and I've been trying to sell the house but," seeing her son's face, Lily stopped. "Harry if you're okay with this I'm going to take the job. There's a lot more to the world you want so desperately to enter than you can ever understand from a book and I want to know I can be there when you begin to feel overwhelmed."

"What more is there?

Lily took her son's hand, led him to the living room and sat them both down. She brushed back Harry's hair, revealing the lightning bolt shaped scar above his left eye. She had told him that the man who killed his father had given Harry that scar. It was time, she realized, to tell him why.

~'*'~

Molly Weasley did not consider herself easily frazzled. She could see how she might come off as a bit frantic at times but she believed another woman faced with her brood would be in St. Mungos within the hour. On this particular Sunday she might admit she was nearly frazzled.

It had been a week since she had received a letter from a dead woman, thanking Molly for allowing her and her dead child to stay at the Burrow. She, of course, had sent back an _awful _howler, screeching about respecting the dead and the nobility of the Potter family and using a poor dead baby as the butt of a prank. Oh had Arthur got an earful when she found out that not only was the dead wife of James Potter _not _dead, but Arthur had offered them a place to stay until next week when term started. Of course she understood that preparing the school to hold whatever they were preparing for was important but _really,_ letting something like _'Harry and Lily Potter are Alive'_ slip your mind?!

Since then she'd spent all of her time cleaning, cooking, and trying to get that _damn_ ghoul out of the attic so Lily would have a room. Ronald, the dear boy, had offered to let Harry sleep in his room. The poor child had grown up in France so she knew in advance he'd need fattening up. Those French people were always so frightfully thin.

Looking up at her clock, she watched nervously as Arthur's hand moved from "traveling" to "home". Hearing the commotion of their landing out back, she listened as her husband comforted the child who was obviously not used to travel by portkey yet. Her family filed in from where they had been waiting in the living room. Straightening her hair and clothes, she looked around and quickly _scourgify_'d her messy apron before facing the door.

In stepped Arthur and behind him came Lily Potter. She looked strange in her muggle clothes but that aside she looked nearly the same as when they had last seen each other; walking in behind her came her son. Harry was the spitting image of James, almost as tall as her Ronald, and just as she expected, thin as a rail! Moving forward she wrapped her arms around Lily. Taking a step back, Molly quickly introduced her family, these two needed to eat.

~'*'~

Harry was stunned. Food flew from hand to hand to hand to... how many hands could one family have!? Eating was normally quiet with just himself and his mother but the Weasley's made the table feel more like a stage. He was attempting to keep track of the multiple conversations, but by the time he'd caught on, the subject would change. How they decided what they would talk about next was a mystery. He caught his mother's eye and the two smiled knowing exactly how baffled the other must feel.

Keeping track of all of their names was going to be near impossible, but he was sure the one he was sitting next to was Ron. Whenever he got tired of being teased by his older brothers, Ron would start grilling Harry about living as a muggle and then Mr. Weasley would join in. Then Mrs. Weasley would look at Mr. Weasley and he'd change the subject. It was a gloriously different meal but even before desert had reached the table Harry found himself exhausted.

"Oh dear, Lily, your poor boy's almost asleep in his chair! Let me show you where you'll be sleeping. Ron! Put down that roll and go show Harry up to your room."

The freckled boy looked longingly at the roll before putting it down and pushing back his chair. Harry followed suit, turning to trudge back and grab his bags from the kitchen. Remembering how heavy they were, as tired as he was, '_up'_ to Ron's room sounded terrible.

"Oy, where you goin?" asked Ron, more than a little mad to be forced to delay his pudding.

"Um, I need my bags. I think they were in the kitchen."

"Naw, Mum probably already sent'em up."

I love magic, thought Harry, and the two boys began to climb the stairs.

~'*'~

Somewhere in Albania a darkness stirred and a man began to stutter.

***I get so many e-mails telling me Unknown Magic is being followed! It seriously fuels me through my day :D You guys are the best! Thanks again to Majerus for editing, and on his date night no less! If you want to really thank him for helping me update you can check out his fic. (Jean) It's centered around our dear Ms. Granger and it's quite good. Anywhosit, until tomorrow!***


	6. The Leaky Cauldron

***I own nothing. All hail our queen.***

The week had flown by for Lily. Between meeting with the board of governors, making lesson plans and trying not to miss Harry's first discoveries of the wizarding world, she felt like she hadn't been out of a fire place for more than an hour in forever.

No matter how hectic things had gotten, she wasn't going to miss today. The Weasley children had taught Harry about quidditch and Molly told her over a very late cup of tea that he had inherited James' skill on a broom.

Ron had taken it upon himself to teach the boy Wizard's chess and the youngest, Ginny, was shyly showing him the different magical creatures that lived on the lands around the Burrow. When she checked in on him at night Lily found him sleeping peacefully and could sense his happiness in his magic which was growing and intensifying daily.

These missed moments, she told herself, were necessary to ensure she missed none at Hogwarts. Missing them hurt all the same. But nothing could come between the mother and watching her child see Diagon Alley for the first time. Hearing Molly in the kitchen, Lily pulled herself out of bed, threw on the pale green robes she had sent for by post, and started what could only be a fantastic day.

~'*'~

"Now, it's going to smokey lad but speak as clearly as you can, throw the powder into the flames and step in when they turn green."

The two mothers had already gone ahead, and Harry knew his mother was waiting for him to go next. He was standing in front of a fire place feeling barking mad. He could feel the heat of the flames from here.

He glanced at Arthur nervously. He'd watched his mother disappear into the flames many times since coming to the Burrow, but some bits of magic were still hard to really believe for the boy. He repeated the destination in his head three times; he needed to get this right! "DIAGON ALLEY!" he practically screamed, and stepped into the now green fire before he could think about it any further.

He felt as though he were being pulled upwards through a long chute. Keeping his elbows tucked in as Ron had instructed him the night before, Harry watched as other fireplaces shot by him far too quickly to see anything but bursts of light and flashes of wallpaper.

Coughing, he stumbled as his feet finally hit solid ground. His mother immediately began brushing ash off of him and licked her finger to get a stubborn smudge off his face. Swiping at her hand the two smiled at each other. He was glad she was here, even if she was treating him like a child. Arthur, Ron, Ginny, Percy and the twins quickly followed and soon the eight red heads and the dark haired boy sat down to have tea and make plans at the Leaky Cauldron.

Around the pub people were staring at him, not even bothering to attempt to look as though they weren't, and Harry felt himself slowly growing angry. His mother may have told him about Voldemort failing to kill them both after murdering his father, but she had left out some important details.

A few days into Harry's stay, Ron had asked him for his autograph. The boy said it wasn't for him and that Ginny was too shy to ask. Harry stared at his new friend in confusion. An autograph? From him? Why?

Ron had explained that he was famous and that there were whole books just about him or him and his family. Ron went on to say that the books said that he and his mum had killed You-Know-Who.

No, Harry explained, he didn't know who. Ron had flinched when Harry finally realized that he meant Voldemort and had spoken the dark wizards name aloud. Lily probably hadn't mentioned the taboo, Ron said, because she and his father had already beat He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named a bunch of times before that night at Godric's Hollow.

There had been books written which had immortalized the Potters for sacrificing their lives and ridding the world of the dark wizard that had terrorized and murdered so many. Thankfully for the curious boy, Molly had nearly every book speculating on what had happened to his family. The pictures of his house had been awful but the pictures of his father and the few of the three of them together had been the highlight of his time at the Burrow.

He knew that these people stared at him because he had lived when others had died. Their curiosity felt morbid to Harry, creeping eyes staring at he who had once been the boy-who-died and was now the boy-who-lived.

Lily looked questioningly at her son as his face grew red. Glancing around she saw the staring eyes and began glaring daggers at the other customers. The Prophet had run non-stop speculation and gossip this past week. Arthur was forced to place extra wards and Lily laid runes and spells of her own to keep prying eyes and press away from the old farm house.

Turning back to the conversation, she smiled reassuringly at Harry and heard Molly and Arthur discussing where they should go first.

"Harry and I don't need to go to Gringotts, I went Wednesday for school funds." Catching Harry's questioning look she explained, "It's the wizarding bank Goose, run by goblins."

"Yeah I read about it, but when did you get an account?"

"When I married your father actually. I would have opened my own but we got married so young and I hardly had any real money of my own. It's actually a family vault, the Potter vault. It's so strange using that name again." It was actually one of the best things about coming back here. She had so little left of her marriage and her husband's last name felt right as her's, far more than Evans had after she had been labeled as "different".

"I think we might split off and meet you later Molly, if that's alright."

Molly nodded, the two mothers had talked the night before about Lily wanting these memories for the two of them. The boy and his mother had been alone for so long and Lily missed that feeling of closeness. "Of course dear, meet at five for books then?" asked the stout woman stirring her troops into action.

"Sounds great."

Plans made, the Weasleys left the pub through the back door. Lily and Harry stayed back for a moment to talk, but before they had spoken for long, a dark haired man and a man almost as large as Madame Maxine walked into the pub. Lily, who was attempting to order the pair two more butterbeers, didn't notice the new arrivals but turned when she heard Harry yelp. She felt herself being lifted off of the bench and met her son's eyes as she was brought to his level, both pairs of feet dangling well above the ground.

Gasping for air Lily choked out, "Bit too tight Hagrid."

~'*'~

Sirius felt like the last eleven years had never happened. Eleven years of trials and statements and slanderous newspapers, all gone. When he saw that boy's face in the park, Sirius was reminded of why he had fought so hard to stay out of prison. He had a debt that needed repaid. It was his fault Lily and James had chosen Peter. It was his fault that they had been found. It was his fault Harry grew up without a father.

Comforting Harry in the woods as Padfoot had made him feel something for the first time in years. He felt needed. This child needed him. Sirius had run when he had heard Lily voice but hearing the boy call out for him, he'd nearly turned back. He forced himself to stay away. Sirius knew he couldn't risk Lily thinking that he was spying or somehow attempting to persuade Harry to choose Hogwarts. Of course the boy didn't know the dog was an animagus, let alone had any connection to Hogwarts, but Sirius knew Lily's temper better than most. Once she got it into her head that Harry had been influenced, James' son might never set foot on the school's grounds.

Staring at the boy now, being squeezed by Hagrid, he felt a sense of relief. He was here! A letter lay on the table with a list of supplies and the Hogwarts crest at the top. He panicked briefly, had Lily told the boy about him? She'd never really approved of Sirius completely, but he could prove he'd grown up. What if she blamed him? He would understand but Merlin did he hope that she was still her quick-to-anger yet quick-to-forgive self. Before he could question the situation further the half giant released the Potters.

Lily, laughing, turned to face him. "Hello Padfoot." she said with a smile.

A smile! His heart soared and in one quick step he had picked her up and spun her.

Harry took a step back from the grey eyed stranger. Something about the man felt familiar. He searched his memory but was interrupted by the giant man's enormous hand closing around his and shaking it so hard that Harry nearly toppled over.

"Oh, Harry Potter! I haven't seen you since you were but a babe! Racing around on that broom in Godric's Hollow, hippogriff in hand."

The grey eyed man had placed his mother back on the floor and his smile spread even wider at the bearded man's comment.

"I still have pictures of you on that broom!" Pulling out his wallet the stranger knelt down and an impossible amount of photos toppled around Harry's feet.

Going through them one by one Harry felt transfixed. He recognized some of them from his favorite books on his 'death', but there were more personal ones mixed in. Harry on the strange man's shoulders. Harry in his mother's arms with his father and two other men making faces and laughing. All of the pictures with Harry were in the same house, the house from the books, the house his dad had died in. Mixed in were multiple pictures of four young boys in red and gold, one of whom had a scorch mark instead of a head.

Harry felt his mothers hand on his shoulder. "Goose, Sirius will let you look at these later. We need to start shopping."

Harry looked up at the two men staring at him with the deepest looks of pity he'd ever seen. He slowly dropped the line of photos. Really looking at the owner of the pictures he realized something.

"Sirius Black?"

The man stared at the child in confusion.

Harry answered Sirius' questioning look. "Your name was captioned under a lot of the photos in the books I read about my death."

It sounded creepy when he said it out loud and he snorted.

"Well I mean my supposed death. There's about two dozen at the Burrow, each with their own bogus theory. I'm Harry by the way, sorry, it's um, good to meet both of you.

Remembering their manners the two men both spoke their names at once, earning a grin from the child of their lost friend. Lily wondered why he hadn't mentioned the books before but decided maybe she should save that discussion for a more private time.

Turning from her thoughts, Lily made introductions. "Harry, this is Hagrid. He's the groundskeeper at Hogwarts."

"Finest school in the world!"

"And this, of course, is Sirius Black. He was your father's best friend. His surname was what we adopted when we left. It seemed your father enchanted our papers so we couldn't go by anything but that." Sirius and Lily exchanged a look of nostalgia. Lily faltered before continuing, "and, well, he's your godfather Harry."

"What's a godfather?" he asked.

"It's an older practice. Mostly observed by Christian muggles," she explained, looking for his understanding.

Harry nodded, religion had not been a big part of his life growing up but most of his friends were Christian.

"The idea is," she continued, "you choose godparents for your child and if any harm should come to the birth parents, the godparents become responsible for raising them. The idea was widely adopted by the wizarding world during the war with Voldemort."

Hagrid yelped at the name and received a glare from Lily.

"He's dead Hagrid. The only part of him that remains alive is this damned, everlasting fear people have for him."

"When you fear something you give it power over you," stated the boy, repeating his mother's favorite phrase.

Lily smiled proudly and picked up the list from the table.

"Well, we have shopping to get done. I'd worry we'll be late to meet Molly but I doubt Harry will take half as much time as her eccentric brood."

"We have some errands to run as well, you'll come with us, won't you?" Sirius asked.

Lily nearly said no. The pleading look on her son's face matched Sirius'.

"Alright _children. _We'll go together," she said, her grin hidding her disappointment at losing these last private moments before school started.

Sirius place a hand on the boy's shoulder and led him toward the back door. "You're in for one helluva treat Harry."

*** NEXT STOP! EVERYWHERE!***


	7. Olivander's Suprise

Harry watched as the wall in front of him quivered, wriggled and then a small hole appeared in the middle. The hole quickly grew wider and larger until the group of four stood facing an archway large enough even for Hagrid. The archway led onto a cobbled street that twisted and turned out of sight.

Lily smiled at the look of amazement on her son's face. They stepped through and Harry watched, fascinated, as the wall closed behind them.

The sun shone brightly on a stack of cauldrons outside the nearest shop.

"Cauldrons!" Harry laughed, "a whole shop just for cauldrons!"

"You'll need one for your class with me," Lily replied. "But we have something more important to grab first." She turned to the two men behind them, "I thought we'd stop at Ollivander's first."

"Ah, good choice. I'll be join'n you later. I've got to go to Gringotts first, official Hogwarts business." Hagrid said, patting his breast pocket.

Harry waved as the jolly, bearded man wandered off down a side street. His mother put out her arm and he looped his through hers. Sticking his arm out towards Sirius, Harry laughed when the man hesitated.

"It's this thing she does from the Wizard of Oz, it's Mum's favorite movie."

Still confused, Sirius linked arms with the boy.

"Well then," said Lily with a smirk, "we're off to see the wizard."

~'*'~

Ollivander was having a wonderful day. Students were constantly wandering in and out of the shop this time of year. Each time a wand chose a student he felt a sense of accomplishment. He felt so honored to make these matches, personal extensions of a wizards magic.

He was sorting through new unicorn tail hairs when he heard the bell above the door ring. The wands sang with the new magic. Ah, he thought, an unmatched wizard. Their song grew louder and Ollivander smiled, a rather powerful new wizard at that.

Walking out from the back he smiled as he stood looking over the three people in his shop. Two he remembered and one he had been anticipating.

"Hello," said Harry awkwardly.

"Ah yes," said the old wand maker. "Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon Harry Potter." It wasn't a question. "You have your mother's eyes. It seems only yesterday you were in here for your wand, Lily. Do you still have it?"

Lily handed it over and the man held the wand with a look of true appreciation. "Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charms work."

He handed the wand back to her and moved behind the counter and sat on an old wooden high stool.

"Your father, on the other hand, favored a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favored it – it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course."

They all watched as Mrs. Potter pulled a mahogany wand from her sleeve.

"You kept it." Sirius' face fell as he stared at the dead man's wand.

"Of course," Lily said, slipping James's wand away again, "but let's get started Harry," her voice breaking a bit. "We've only got till five and you need nearly twice as many supplies as we did in my day."

"Hmm yes," said Mr. Ollivander, giving Lily a long look. "Well, now – Mr. Potter, let me see." He pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm?"

"Er, well, I'm right handed," said Harry.

"Hold out your arm. That's it." He measured Harry from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round his head. As he measured, he said, "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a magical substance, Mr. Potter. Your mother's has a unicorn hair, your father's had dragon heart string as does Mr. Black's. Each wand is different, you may use another wizard's wand but it will never serve you as well as your own."

Mr. Ollivander walked to the shelves behind him and started pulling out boxes. Amazed, Harry watched as the tape measure, which was now measuring between his nostrils, continued on its own.

"That will do," the ancient man said, and the tape measure crumpled into a heap on the floor. "Right then, Mr. Potter, try this one. Beechwood and dragon heart string. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. Just take it and give it a wave."

Harry took the wand and (feeling foolish) waved it around a bit, but Mr. Ollivander snatched it out of his hand almost at once.

"Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try-"

Harry tried – but he had hardly raised the wand when it, too, was snatched back by Mr. Ollivander.

"No, no – here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. Go on, go on, try it out."

Harry tried. And tried. He had no idea what Mr. Ollivander was waiting for. The pile of wands was mounting higher and higher on the tall stool and began running over onto the counter, but the more wands the man pulled from the shelves, the happier he seemed to become.

"Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here somewhere – I wonder, now," he wandered into the back muttering to himself.

Lily slowly pulled James' wand back out from her sleeve. She handed it to her son and then smiled when he waved it and red and gold sparks sprouted out. He returned the wand when they heard the old man coming back.

Mr. Ollivander was still muttering as he returned, taking a wand from it's box. "Yes, why not – unusual combination – holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple."

Harry took the wand before Lily or Sirius could say a word. He felt the same warmth spreading up his arm that he had felt holding his father's. He raised the new wand and moved it the same way as before. Matching red and gold sparks streamed through the dusty air.

The old wand maker broke into a bright smile at this. "Oh bravo! Yes, indeed, oh very good. Well, well, well… how curious, how very curious..."

Ollivander went behind the counter and placed the wand in it's box, all the while muttering the word 'curious'.

Sirius stepped forward and spoke softly to the man.

"James' wand chose Harry, Mr. Ollivander. While you were in the back."

"What's that, Mr. Black? Hmm?" The wand maker looked up from wrapping Harry's new wand in brown paper. "Chosen by two wands? Ha! Can't be done my boy. Well I suppose it could. I've only read about it, but..."

Ollivander's gleaming eyes swept towards Harry like glowing orbs in the dimly lit shop. He walked to the boy, leaning in and stopping inches away from Harry's face. The old man pushed Harry's hair aside to reveal his scar.

Seemingly lost in thought, he finally spoke, his voice distant and quiet. "Your father's wand and the twin of his murderer's wand."

"Ollivander!" Lily's sharp voice made the wand maker take a step back. "That's more than enough, did that really need to be said!?"

"I... I'm so sorry. But I remember every wand I've ever sold, Lily. Every single one. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in that wand gave another feather – just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother – why, its brother gave you that scar."

Ollivander hurried back to where he had left the holly wand. "Lily if I may?" he asked, holding out his hand for James' wand.

"Harry if you could just hold them both. Yes, yes, now give them both a swish. Yes, curious." he said as sparks came out of both wands. "And now switch them, mmm, your father's in your right hand." Again sparks flew out, this time like fireworks, stopping as the small man snatched both wands from Harry's hands. "Oh, yes!"

"Is this normal, Mum?"

"Ollivander?" Lily turned, "what _does_ it mean?"

"It means I have wand work to do. Come back at six. Turn over the open sign as you leave," answered the old man. Turning away without further explanation, Ollivander walked to the back of the shop, leaving Lily, Sirius and Harry alone and confused.

***Tad short. I have the next few days off so I'll have more time!***


	8. Godfathers, Giants, and a Wisp of a Wand

***I own nothing. All Hail Our Queen!***

Although Harry thought it strange, the incident in the wand shop was quickly forgotten. Bright colorful shops, their window displays filled with strange objects, quickly distracted him. After stopping for quills, ink and parchment, they met Hagrid.

He was holding a strangely shaped package and beaming with pride. He handed the package and a few of the still mystifying pieces of wizarding money over to Sirius.

Sirius smiled at Harry, "I thought you might need one of these. You probably have friends back in France. I know I've missed a lot of your life Harry, but I'm going to be there for you from now on. Anyway, I had Hagrid grab this for you, I'm a tad late, but Happy Birthday." Sirius then handed the package over to Harry and pulled off the cover.

A large snowy owl stared at Harry with bright yellow eyes. Harry was speechless, completely transfixed by the owl's bright stare. This was his first real piece of the magical world. Sure he had school supplies but somehow this was different. His first gift that marked him as a wizard.

Harry stuttered out his thanks and watched as the owl tucked her head beneath her wing and began to sleep. Hagrid slipped the cover back over the cage and grinned.

"What'll ya name'er?" asked Hagrid, obviously delighted he'd chosen well.

"I don't really know, can I name her later? My whole life changed when my name did so I want hers to be special."

"Makes more than a bit o' sense," agreed Hagrid. "Ice cream anyone? Or do you need more supplies?"

Harry looked to his mother. "You two go. Sirius and I will grab the rest of your things. We'll meet you at the book store at five, sound like a plan?"

Hagrid drew a battered pocket watch from the depths of his large coat then nodded at Lily.

The group parted, Harry and Hagrid wandered down the cobbled street toward a little ice cream parlor.

They each got cones (chocolate raspberry with chopped nuts). Sitting side by side on a bench outside the shop, Harry began firing away questions between bites and Hagrid did his best to answer them.

"Why don' ya ask yer mum any ah this?" asked Hagrid. He had spent so much time answering Harry's questions that his ice cream was now melting down the side of his huge hand.

"Well, I know her better than anybody. I mean, it's just been us, ya know? And everyone else just kinda expects her to be okay being tossed back into all this. You've seen the way people stare at us and wander up with a million questions."

Hagrid nodded. Even just in the time they'd been sitting there he'd become much more aware of the people in the streets. He was used to people staring, being as large as he was and had become accustomed to ignoring them. The people craning their necks around to stare at the boy-who-lived were harder to ignore than the usual gawkers.

The boy continued, "We've hardly seen each other since I decided to come to Hogwarts. I figure she'd rather spend what time we've got talking like we used to than answering a million questions. I'd ask the Weasleys but sometimes Ron looks at me like I'm mental for not knowing stuff about the magical world."

Hagrid turned toward the boy but was interrupted as a pale young man approached the pair nervously, one of his eyes twitching uncontrollably.

"Professor Quirrell!" Hagrid said with a start. "Harry, Professor Quirrell will be one of your teachers at Hogwarts."

"P-P-Potter," stammered Professor Quirrell, "c-can't t-tell you how p-pleased I am to meet you."

"What sort of class do you teach, Professor Quirrell?" asked Harry

"D-Defense against the D-D-Dark Arts," muttered Professor Quirrell, as if he'd rather not think about it. "N-Not that you n-n-need it, eh P-Potter?" he laughed nervously. "You'll be g-g-getting all of your equipment, I suppose? I've g-got to p-pick up a new b-book on vampires, m-myself." He looked absolutely terrified at the very thought.

"My mum's got most of it already. Just books left now."

"W-What a b-b-beautiful owl. Is he y-yours."

"I think it's a girl actually," Harry replied. He wasn't quite sure why he'd made the assumption but somehow he knew.

"Well 'Arry, we'd better be gettin on now, don'wanta keep yer mum waitin'." Hagrid said, standing up.

"Nice to meet you Professor!" Harry said as they began to leave.

"A-and you Harry Potter! I l-l-look forward t-to seeing you at Hogwarts."

Harry rubbed his forehead, he had the beginnings of a headache. Hagrid shot him a questioning look but Harry just smiled, he'd ask his mother for an aspirin at the bookstore.

~'*'~

It didn't take Sirius long to catch Lily up on the news of the Order and the Ministry. She held back tears as he counted off the deaths. The bulk of the discussion fell around his trial for the murder of Peter Pettigrew. He'd almost gone off his rocker, he explained, when he heard that his only real family had been massacred. Dumbledore had convinced him that the mother and son were still alive.

Simple spells revealed that Sirius was not the secret keeper for the Potters. They also proved that he had not cast the explosive spells that had killed several muggles in the alley where Sirius confronted the rat. Peter was never found.

Sirius had barely proved, with pictures and the fragile testimony of a certain werewolf, that Pettigrew was an unregistered animagus. After a long trial the Aurors had, unsuccessfully, attempted to find Peter, but finally declared Sirius innocent.

Lily recounted her escape from Britain with Harry, their muggle lives and the many of Harry's "firsts" that the godfather had missed.

They had already picked up thee rest of Harry's supplies when the subject Sirius had been dreading finally arose.

"So, did you ever find anyone to settle down with, Padfoot?"

The wizard paused, "I did actually."

Lily's green eyes shot up from double checking the list, "You did!?"

"Don't look so surprised! Am I really _that _obnoxious?"

"No!" she said laughing. "It's not that! It's just the way you were describing things with Harry before. With all that talk of your days with James I figured you were still a bachelor at heart."

"I suppose I miss those days more than I realized. Looking at Harry really takes me back Lily, he's a carbon copy of his father. I guess it just makes me long for the pranks and adventures of the marauders." The dark haired man sighed, "everything's changed so much."

A quiet settled over the pair, each lost in their own memories.

They were on the road leading to Flourish and Blotts when Lily remembered what had started the conversation.

"So, who is the woman of steel who managed to tie down the unruly Sirius Black?"

"Oh! You'll meet her soon, we're staying in Hogsmead and I've been told to invite you for dinner."

"It'll have to wait until the first week is over, maybe the Saturday after next? What's her name?"

Sirius opened his mouth but it snapped shut as he was almost thrown to ground from behind. Catching his balance he saw Harry laughing as he jumped back and ran to Hagrid. Sirius smiled, eleven years old and not a care in the world, he thought.

The light filtered through stained glass windows and off of of brightly colored rooftops, a rainbow of colors danced around them but all eyes were on a pale raven haired boy.

Soon they met up with the Weasley clan. The men both politely declined Molly's offer to come back to the burrow for dinner. Sirius hadn't managed to get any of his errands run and Hagrid said he needed to report to Dumbledore straight away. And so, carting books and cauldrons and robes, the Weasley family went home with promises from the Potters to be right along behind them once they finished their last task.

Ollivander's storefront sat dark, his open sign still turned over. Lily took her son's hand as they entered. The tinkling bell seemed out of place in the gloomy, dusty shop.

The wand maker's shout came from the back, "We're closed! Come again tomorrow."

"It's us Mr. Ollivander, Lily and Harry Potter."

Ollivander hurried out and waved his hand for them to follow before once again disappearing into the back.

The Potters followed the old man, Harry looking around with wonder at the shelves that seemed to go on forever, filled to the top with boxes of wands.

Lily listened closely to the singing wands. There were not many people who had worked as hard as she had at detecting magic. After moving to France and hearing about the horrors that the fleeing death eaters were committing across Europe, she had begun to study the very cores of magic. Lilt wanted to ensure that she was protecting her son in every available way.

People knew so little about the original pagan arts that they feared their use. Without an actual teacher and having found so little literature, she hadn't come as far as she would have liked. However she could feel those around her through their magic. She could sense a wizard's magic in a crowd and, apparently, she could hear the singing of the souls of wands.

Ollivander glanced back at her and smiled, "It's beautiful is it not?"

Harry was baffled as he looked between the two adults but kept walking when his mother made no reply to the strange man's comment.

At the back of the shop, past the innumerable shelves, there was a workshop. The strangest tools Harry had ever seen lie scattered across benches and tables lining the walls. Ollivander walked to the back table and picked up a slender piece of black wood from where it lay next to a massive pile of books.

Lily searched the work space with her eyes, part of her hoping to see James' wand but knowing even then, it had been joined with the twin wand.

"I need you to swish this, Harry," Ollivander said, handing him the wand. The boy held the it aloft and the old man spoke encouragingly, "Yes, just as before."

Red and gold sparks once again appeared in a stream from the wand but Harry felt the warmth flow past his arm into his very core.

Lily took a step back as her son's magic flowed outward from him. She sensed his joy and was overcome by it. The fear she had felt moments ago and the grief at the loss of James' wand were erased. She knew that Harry was a combination of things and this wand's combination was right.

After a few more spectacular tests Lily opened her pouch to pay the wand maker but he held up his hand.

"The magic I did today is performed only when absolutely necessary, your son granted me a chance that only one wand maker in a thousand years is presented. He gave me the chance to meld cores and wood together into something new, a type of magic that has not existed in our time."

Harry stared at the old man, holding the black wand away from himself.

"With so unique a wand, Harry Potter, it may take you longer to discover who you are magically and what you're capable of. It's up to you to rise to the challenge, it will be a difficult."

~'*'~

Harry and Lily walked back to the pub, each with minds full of questions. The sky was growing dim and the gas street lights of Diagon Alley made the place feel far more ominous than it had by sunlight. The two chatted about the day, neither quite sure how to talk about the black wand in Harry's pocket.

They floo'd into a noisy dinning room that nearly exploded when they appeared.

"WHEN I SAID TO WAIT TILL THEY GET HERE I MEANT WHEN THEY SAT DOWN!" Molly bellowed as her children grabbed and scooped and tossed the food waiting on the table. Hands froze in midair, "Sorry you two. Grab a seat and some dinner before it all gets swallowed by the twin terrors."

Taking that as a sign to start hands shot back into motion. Lily and Harry exchanged looks and grinned before sitting and joining in the clamor.

Dinner went by in a haze of laughter and amazement at the things they'd seen in the shops as well as some apparently hilarious mispronunciations and questions on Harry's part. The night went by too quickly and before anyone was ready for it Molly sent them off to bed. The ride to the station was a long one and they'd need to get up early.

Lily told Harry she wouldn't see him until the sorting, the rest of the staff had arrived days ago to settle in and prepare for classes. She was flooing to the headmaster's office tonight and Harry would have to go with the Weasleys in the morning.

Lily placed a kiss on the top of Harry's head, "You're going to do great Goose, don't worry about a thing."

Ron and Harry went to Ron's room, changed and climbed into the cots Arthur had transfigured for Harry's stay. Staring up at the mass of Chudley Cannons posters plastered to the burnt orange walls, the boys talked nervously about the coming day. Ron fell asleep before too long, leaving Harry to his thoughts, and eventually his nightmares.

***Thanks for all the reviews and views guys! It feels amazing! We've almost reached 10,000 views. INSANE! This chapter has been tweaked for grammar but the rest should be the same. Three cheers for Majerus!***


	9. Kings Cross Station

***I own nothing! All Hail Our Queen!***

**Some text directly from cannon**

Harry woke to the sound of light knocking on the bedroom door. He could just make out Molly's shape in the doorway with out his glasses.

"Harry dear, it's time to get up."

"Alright, thanks Mrs. Weasley."

"You too, Ron."

A groan emitted from the lump on the bed. That must have satisfied Molly because the door shut.

Her footsteps wandered to Fred and George's room. Harry jumped as he heard the twins scream, "IT'S TIME TO GET UP BOYS!", in unison with their mother. Molly started yelling at the boys about disrespect while Harry and Ron choked back laughter and pulled themselves out of bed.

All packed, having double and triple checked that they had everything, the family walked out to a light blue Ford Anglia. Harry glanced at the Weasleys, their luggage and their car.

"It's enchanted. Dad's not supposed to do that sorta thing 'cause of his job, but he can't help it. Plus the car's dead useful." Ron explained, seeing the look on Harry's face.

Even knowing it was enchanted, he couldn't help but be amazed as one trunk after another fit into the boot of the car. Piling in after the twins, he was still astounded that they could all fit comfortably, more or less. Molly didn't appear pleased to be sitting in what she kept referring to as "the death trap", but seemed resigned to the fact there was no better way to Kings Cross Station without it.

With a jerk the car took off down the narrow road. Harry, seeing the town pass by, began asking about how they stayed hidden and then how memory charms worked.

Ron stared at his new best friend incredulously. Not even to school yet and Harry was trying to learn. More power to ya mate, he thought, and quickly fell back to sleep.

Harry tried to stay awake for his first real trip through England. Floo powder didn't really count in Harry's mind and he wanted to see it all. Eventually the rocking of the car and pleasant chatter between Molly and Arthur lulled him to sleep.

He woke up by being tickled, while now familiar voices taunted:

"Wakey wakey ickle Ronniekins."

"Good morning Hawy Wawy Potter."

He laughed as the twins jumped back hitting their heads on ceiling of the car when Ron screamed bloody murder at his brothers.

"Did you get your brother and Harry up nicely?" called Molly from the depths of the trunk.

"Why of course,"

"Mother dearest."

"How else would we wake,"

"Ickle Ronniekins and baby Hawy?"

Harry laughed even harder and twin grins on twin faces spread even wider.

"See Ronniekins?"

"Hawy's got a sense of humor."

Ron cursed at the twins under his breath only to be smacked upside the head by his mother who'd come around the side of the car unnoticed. Harry loaded his trunk and his unnamed owl onto a trolly and began to push it into the station following Fred, George and Percy. Ginny grabbed hold and began to help him push. They smiled shyly at each other before Molly called her back.

"Ginerva, you shouldn't be bothering the boys, this is their big day. Next year you'll have a trolly of your own to push," she lectured her now scarlet faced daughter.

Molly handed Harry his ticket and he stared at it in confusion. "It says 9 ¾."

"Of course it does dear," Molly replied absently while tugging at her ill fitting and ill matched muggle clothes.

"But there's no such thing! It goes platform 9 and then platform 10," Harry insisted, looking at the clearly marked pillars ahead.

"Oh, I'm sorry Harry dear, sometimes your past just slips my mind."

That makes one of us, he thought darkly.

"Just watch Fred and George and then you and Ron can go together. The key is to get a running start."

Harry watched as Fred and George smiled at each other, turned around and ran backwards through the wall, pulling their trunks through after them.

"Oh really, those boys are such show offs. Arthur and Percy are on the other side, I'm sure Arthur is waiting for you two. Go ahead, but face forward."

"Really, those boys," she added under her breath as Harry stared at the solid wall the twins had just run straight... into?

Harry and Ron stood side by side and ran through the wall. The sight that greeted him on other side took Harry's breath away. People in wizards robes and muggle clothing walked side by side chatting. Students were comparing brooms and familiars. Families were hugging and students were waving goodbye from the windows of a large scarlet train.

Ron yanked Harry out of the way as Ginny and Molly came through onto the platform. Molly began fussing over her youngest son and he pulled away as she licked her finger to scrub at a smudge only she could see. Ginny stared at Harry and he glanced awkwardly back.

"I think she fancies you."

"Pre-teen romance, how American."

Fred and George jumped back as Harry tried to shove them. Laughing, they yelled and ran toward a pretty black girl across the platform.

"Come on, let's find a seat before we get scrunched in with a bunch of Slytherins."

The boys had already discussed the houses and what they stood for. After hearing that his dad was in Gryffindor that's where Harry wanted to be sorted, but he'd take anything. No matter what his mum had said he'd still had nightmares of not being sorted at all and just being sent home. Those dreams had become worse since his mum had accepted the position at Hogwarts because now if he didn't get sorted they'd have to leave.

She'd sold their house in Marseilles and they'd have no where left to go. I wonder if we'd go live with Aunt Petunia, he thought. He'd never met his Aunt, his Uncle, or his cousin but from what his mum had mentioned they sounded awful. They sounded absolutely terrible actually, and Harry was pretty sure his mother had been kind in her descriptions.

The two boys wandered down the corridor, from one car to the next. The first few compartments were already full. On their way to the back they passed a round faced boy named Neville who'd already lost his toad and a boy named Lee who had dreadlocks and a crowd around him as he told some story. Pushing past they found an empty compartment and after some help from the twins, managed to store their trunks in the shelves above them. Fred and George wandered off once again and Harry and Ron began to talk, attempting to hide how nervous they were.

The train began to move and they popped their heads out the window to wave goodbye to Molly, Arthur and Ginny. The young girl ran to keep up with the train waving and laughing until the platform ended.

The first years sat back in their seats. Harry couldn't stop grinning. This was real. He was going to Hogwarts. He pulled out his copy of Hogwarts, A History and started reading his favorite parts aloud. Ron had heard most of it from his five brothers but there were a few snippets even Fred and George hadn't mentioned.

They began making a list of things they wanted to do and parts of the castle they wanted to explore. Their list making was interrupted by a commotion outside. The door opened and a smiling, dimpled woman looked in.

"Anything off the cart, dears?"

Harry and Ron looked glumly between their home-packed sandwiches and cart full of treats. Harry pulled out a pouch of coins his mother had given him.

"I'll share if you show me how to use these things and don't tell your mum I didn't eat the sandwich."

Ron laughed, "what'll we have then?"

"I don't know what's good then do I?" Harry answered.

"Oh, right," he said, turning back to the trolly. "We'll have two chocolate frogs, two cauldron cakes, two boxes of Bertie Bott's and a licorice wand."

Ron gave the jolly woman a few silver pieces and half a dozen bronze ones.

"I'm not much for the wands but I figured you'd want to try one, Charlie loves'em."

Harry watched as Ron opened a chocolate frog and it hopped out of the packaging. He couldn't help but laugh as the freckled boy attempted to catch his slippery treat.

"They don't normally jump, it's a new thing," he grumbled, reaching for the frog that had found its way to his shoulder. "Only one in every bunch is a hopper."

Harry went for the jelly beans. He'd had jelly beans before and figured they'd be the safest. He soon found out that they meant it when they said "every flavor". He winced as he bit into a sardine flavored bean and reached for a chocolate frog to get the taste out of his mouth. He opened it carefully and a card fell into his lap. It showed a man from the shoulders up, smiling out at him. He wore half-moon glasses, had a long crooked nose and a flowing silver beard, hair and mustache. Underneath the picture was the name Albus Dumbledore.

So this is Dumbledore, he thought. The old wizard had come up a lot in his reading but he didn't look quite how Harry had imagined the mighty warrior would.

Turning over the card he read:

ALBUS DUMBLEDORE Current Headmaster Of Hogwarts  
Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly  
famous for his defeat of the Dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the  
twelve uses of dragon's blood and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel.  
Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling.

Harry turned the card back over and saw, to his astonishment, that Dumbledore had disappeared.

"He's gone!"

"Well, you can't expect him to hang around all day," stated Ron matter-of-factly, "he'll be back. I got Morgana again," he motioned to the card on the seat next to him, "I've got about six of her."

There was a knock on their cabin door and the round faced boy, named Neville, stuck his head in.

"Have you seen ma toad? His names Trevor."

Both boys shook their heads no.

"Well if ya see him gimme a shout will you? If I don't find him ma gran'll kill me."

The boy shut the door and Harry looked at his owl, once again grateful to Sirius. Something about the man seemed comforting to Harry. He gave off a feeling of recklessness but in a reliable way. It didn't really make any sense but he gave Harry the same feeling Ron and the owl had, like they were part of his destiny. His mum had talked about his dad like that, she called the feeling a soul link.

Ron interrupted his thoughts, "If I had a toad I'd lose him too. Though I can't honestly say much, all I've got is Scabbers." He brought the hand-me-down-rat out of his jacket and it flopped into his lap, asleep. "I honestly wouldn't know if the bloody thing died! I tried turning it yellow the other day while you were in the garden with Ginny. Stupid spell didn't even work."

"You know a spell?" Harry asked, now truly interested.

"Yeah I'll show you, look..."

He pushed the rat onto the seat and stood up, rummaged around in his trunk and pulled out a very battered-looking wand. It was chipped in places and something white was glinting at the end. Catching Harry's look, he shook his head.

"It was Charlie's. That's unicorn hair sticking out. Anyway-"

He had just raised his wand when their compartment door opened once again. Neville was back but this time he had a girl with him.

"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville has lost his."

The girl had a bossy sort of voice, a mass a brown curls and front teeth that were just a size to large. She was already dressed in her new school robes. Ron's ears turned pink.

"Sorry, we still haven't seen it Neville." Harry said, looking at Ron who had slowly began to sink back into his seat, wand still raised.

The girl wasn't listening, she was staring at the wand in Ron's hand. "Were you about to do magic?" she asked. "Go on then," she encouraged as she sat down next to Ron. The shade of pink traveled to the rest of his face.

Harry moved his owl's cage to the floor and Neville sat down too, his toad temporarily forgotten.

"Well it didn't work last time..." Ron said nervously to the girl.

"It takes loads of practice. Besides, we hardly know the right movements do we? Well you might. Neither of my parents are magical so I'd never seen magic preformed before Professor McGonagall came to my house."

"Mrs. McGonagall's a professor?!" Harry asked, confused as to why no one had told him. It made sense now that he thought about it. She'd given him books and come to talk to him about Hogwarts.

"She teaches Transfiguration. Do you know her? Are you a muggle born too?" the bushy haired girl asked, her attention now on Harry. Ron still sat with Scabbers in his lap, wand at the ready.

"No, both my parents were wizards but I, uh, I was raised as a muggle because of some stuff from when I was a, uh, baby," he finished awkwardly.

"You're Harry Potter!" the round faced boy announced, speaking for the first time since sitting down.

"I've read about you!" the girl exclaimed. "I'm Hermione Granger by the way. You're in so many books! Aren't you supposed to be dead?"

The three boys stared at the girl incredulously.

"Oi! A bit rude are you?" Ron challenged, finally lowering his wand.

"Oh, I'm sorry! When I get excited I get a bit carried away." Hermione lowered her face, blushing.

"It's okay," Harry sighed. "I'll probably be getting that a lot. Ron's mum, oh that's Ron, anyway Ron's mum says we should sue the pants off of the publishers but my mum doesn't want any more publicity then we've already got."

"Your mum's one of our professors, right? I received a letter saying there would be a change in staff," Hermione said, pulling a packet of letters from her sleeve.

"Bloody well lucky too," declared Ron, looking more at ease now. "I've heard horror stories from my brothers 'bout Professor Snape for years now. They say he used to be a-"

Ron was interrupted by their door once more sliding open. This time to reveal three boys their age, all with a rather unpleasant look about them. The two on either side looked as if they were in a stupor, the pale boy in the middle had his hair slicked back and his nose turned up.

"Is it true?" the middle boy drawled. "It's all up and down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment." The blonde boy scanned the faces and settled on Harry. "It's you then isn't it?"

"Yeah, that's me." Harry replied. The two boys on the blonde's flanks reminded him of gorillas and he tried not to laugh as they attempted to look menacing.

Draco noticed his gaze, "Oh, this is Crabbe and that's Goyle. I'm Draco Malfoy."

Harry watched Ron's face once again growing red and noticed Neville's shoulders stiffen.

Draco stared at Ron's reddening face. "Recognize the name, Weasley?"

Ron was nearly purple.

"I'd recognize you from a mile away. Father told me Weasleys have red hair, freckles and far more children than they can afford."

Hermione's eyes narrowed but Draco continued.

"You'll soon find, Potter, that some wizarding families are better than others. You'd be smart to choose your friends wisely. I can help you sort the good from the bad."

"I think I'm doing fine by myself," Harry replied through clenched teeth. After all the bullying he'd handled in school over his lack of a father, he refused to allow himself to blow up here, not when he was so close to Hogwarts.

The blonde boy's sneer faded at Harry's rejection and turned into a glare.

"You'd better watch yourself Potter. Unless you want to go the same way your father did. I heard-"

But before Draco could say what he'd heard, Harry, Hermione and Neville stood, hands clenched at their sides while Ron pointed his very decrepit wand at the pale boy's nose.

"Get. Out." Hermione said, her slightly bossy tone now rivaling Mrs. Weasleys most threatening voice.

The three wandless boys slammed the door shut and the four children lowered back into their seats. Glancing around, they all began to laugh.

"You okay Harry? That was awful." Hermione said when the laughter had died down.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Probably wouldn't have been without you guys..."

Hermione smiled but glancing at her watch she shot up. "You'd better change into your robes! We're almost there!"

Glancing out the window Harry could see lights gleaming from windows of the giant castle. The pictures in the books didn't compare to what lay across the glittering lake, Ron joined him at the window.

"Brilliant!" they said in unison.

*****Next up? What you've all been waiting for. The meeting of the Potion Masters and of course, the sorting :D. Thanks once again to Majerus I'm telling you, with out him my babbling muse would make no sense to anyone but me.*****


	10. Forgiveness and the Feast

***I own nothing. All Hail Our Queen!***

**Sorry it took so long but it's extra long**

*A GOOD COUPLE OF CHUNKS WERE TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM CANNON!*

Lily mentally thanked Flitwick, she'd do so verbally at dinner. It had taken her the entire day and some extremely challenging charms work to change her new dungeon quarters into something resembling a home.

She glanced around at square sections of the stone wall now made to look like widows, reflecting the grounds around Hogwarts. The sun was setting, the light played through her newly transfigured lace curtains. Pictures of Harry and James hung side by side around the room, magical next to muggle.

Lily smiled, that summed up her whole life: magic and muggle side-by-side.

A knock came at her door.

"Come on in," Lily shouted.

Dumbledore stooped as he walked through her doorway, his tall purple hat brushed the ceiling as he stepped through.

"Ah, this is remarkably less depressing," the old man looked around, smiling at the 'windows' and looking absolutely delighted when he spotted a doily. "We were surprised to receive your request to live down here."

"The supplies and classroom are down here. Besides, if Harry becomes anything like his father, having his mother at school is going to drive him insane. Maybe with me being down here he'll find it a bit more tolerable."

"One would think he'd enjoy you being here, as you have relied upon one another for so long," mused the old man.

"I'm sure it will be nice at first. He's eleven, he still thinks I'm 'cool'," she laughed. "Would you like to sit? I could put the kettle on." Lily motioned to a small kitchenette in the corner of her new quarters.

"No, no. I thought I would come see how you were settling in. You'll be joining us for the feast later?"

"I wouldn't miss the sorting for the world!"

"Ah yes, that will be grand of course, it's always quite grand." He paused for a moment his blue eyes twinkled mischievously, "and Lily, I thought before you came up you might like to chat with someone else."

Opening the door, Dumbledore waved in a very nervous looking Severus Snape.

~'*'~

"We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately," a voice said, echoing through the compartments.

Harry's stomach lurched with nerves and Ron, he saw, looked pale under his freckles.

The train slowed and finally stopped. Opening their compartment door they saw the rest of the students, all in their black robes, slowly pushing forward to the exits. Harry had to give Ron a shove to get him moving. It was extremely loud in the narrow corridor with all of the students shouting excitedly to each other. Only the first years remained nervously silent.

Harry shivered in the cold night air as they made their way onto a dark platform. The older students seemed to know where they were going and left the new students standing there with teeth chattering. They didn't have to wait for long.

Over the din of students a voice called out loudly, "Firs' years! Firs years over here!"

A smile spread across Harry's face as he recognized the man holding a lantern and shouting. He made his way quickly to the familiar figure.

"All right there, Harry?"

Harry nodded and smiled as the man placed a giant hand on his shoulder.

"C'mon, follow me. Any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now!"

Harry slipped and slid down what seemed to be a narrow dirt path. The dark was so total that they couldn't make out much past the people that were very close to them and Hagrid's lantern, swinging ahead of them. Finally they came around a bend and the castle came into view. It stood above them shinning in the dark, Harry heard a few of the girls gasp at the sight.

"No more'n four to'a boat!" shouted Hagrid as a fleet of boats came into sight along a slender pier. Each boat had a lantern attached to the front.

Harry and Ron walked toward one of the boats and were quickly joined by Neville and Hermione. The four climbed into the enchanted boat and watched as each of the boats filled with students.

"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had an entire boat to himself. "Right then, FORWARD!"

The great fleet of boats moved all at once, gliding across the water. The boats steered themselves into smaller formations to fit through the ivy laden arches of the bridge leading to the caves under castle.

When they came to a stop they heard Hagrid yell out about a toad and watched a very relieved Neville run forward to retrieve it.

The new companions walked toward a great wooden door with the rest of their classmates. Hagrid glanced behind him to search for anyone out of place before raising a giant fist and knocking on the door three times.

~'*'~

Dumbledore left the childhood friends alone and for a long moment they were silent.

"Have a seat Severus."

Severus Snape felt as if his heart might stop. Her voice was soft and calm. All these years he had imagined how he would respond to her indifference or her rage. Now faced with her kindness, he froze.

"Really, Severus, sit."

He did as he was told.

"I know it was you that made this possible and I can't tell you how much it means to me," Lily said, not looking at the potions master.

For a moment he was confused. His mind was so consumed with his past faults that he couldn't imagine what she could be referring to, he simply stared at her blankly.

"My position? Assistant Potions Master?" she prompted.

He nodded in understanding, still unable to force himself to speak. The silence stretched on, neither of them able to look at the other.

"Dumbledore told me a long time ago about the prophesy and the role you played. I was so angry with you," she paused, and their eyes finally met. He drank in their bright green brilliance like a man dying of thirst sucking in cool water from a clear stream. "I forgave you for your cruelty when we were fifth years. I understood how difficult this place must have been for you. I couldn't bring myself to talk to you when the entire wizarding world began to fall apart. But when the headmaster told me that you told-"

Her eyes fell from his and she twisted the wedding ring on her finger.

"I didn't believe him at first. The betrayal was too complete. He said you didn't know it was us, but you hated James so much that it makes it hard to believe."

Snape knew he should say something, one of his hundreds of rehearsed lines. Nothing would come, his excuses sounded hollow even in his own mind. He reached to touch her arm but she pulled it back to wipe her eyes.

She looked up at him and again green eyes met eyes so dark they seemed black. Deep accusing sorrow met unending guilt and regret.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered.

And they wept.

~'*'~

The door swung open and Harry smiled as Professor McGonagall met his eye and nodded her acknowledgment. He glanced at Hermione as she too received an approving nod. Ron looked absolutely terrified and looking back at her again Harry could see why. Outlined by the light from the room behind her as she stared down at them, Minerva McGonagall made quite an imposing first impression, exactly as she intended.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.

"Thank you Hagrid, I'll take them from here," the woman replied, pulling the doors open wider to reveal the entryway.

You could have fit the Potter's entire house inside the stone room. The ceilings were so high you couldn't see them in the flickering torch light and ahead marble stairs led to what must be the upper floors.

The first years followed the professor through the hall and past a large oak door. Harry could hear the hum of hundreds of people talking. He glanced at Ron who mouthed 'dinning hall?' and shrugged his shoulders as they were led into a smaller chamber off of the hall.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall with a thin smile. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses." Harry felt his stomach turn. "The sorting is very important because, while you are here, your house will act as something of a family to you. You will have classes with your house, sleep in your house dormitories, and spend your free time in your house common room."

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn house points, where as any rule breaking will lose your house points." Her sweeping eyes fell on Ron and his ears went red. Harry smiled, they'd heard Fred and George's stories and he had no doubt that glance was all the warning Ron would get to behave.

"At the end of the year, the house which has been awarded the most points will win the House Cup, a great honor. I hope that each of you will become a credit to which ever house becomes yours."

"The sorting will take place in a few moments in front of the entire school. I will return for you when we're ready." She turned to leave but glanced back. "You may want to smarten yourselves up a bit," her eyes settled on Neville's cloak which had been fastened wrong, and over to the smudge on Ron's nose.

After she had left the first years began nervously whispering to each other.

"What do they do to sort us? I never asked ma parents?" Neville said, voice shaking.

"It's done by a-" started Hermione.

"-Sorting Hat," finished Harry. "At least that's what it said in-"

"-Hogwarts: a History," ended Hermione.

Ron looked extremely cross. "Fred and George said it really hurts." Neville paled. "But they might've been lying mate," he quickly amended, seeing how nervous the round-faced boy had become.

Screams erupted behind them and Harry whipped around in time to see about twenty ghosts streaming through the back wall. Pearly white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to each other and hardly glancing the first years. They seemed to be arguing. What looked to be a fat little monk was saying, "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him another chance-"

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not even a ghost! I say, what are all you doing here?" asked a ghost, suddenly noticing the students.

Harry glanced at his first ghost, the man was dressed in tights and wearing a ruffle around his neck. Nobody answered.

"New students!" smiled the Fat Friar. "About to be sorted, I suppose. Well, I hope to see you in Hufflepuff, my old house!"

"It's time now," said a voice behind them. The students turned in time to see Professor McGonagall waving them to follow her as she stepped through the door.

Once again, the pictures in Harry's book couldn't compare to the real thing. Lit candles dangled in the air above four massive tables running the length of the room. Each table was filled with students, each with a goblet in front of them. The goblets glittered, reflecting the stars shinning in the enchanted ceiling. The book had described the ceiling but the sight still left Harry staring, only to be nudged forward by Ron.

Behind him he heard Hermione whispering to Neville, explaining the enchantment. The awe in her voice made Harry think she was explaining it to remind herself how something so spectacular could exist. It was, after all, hard to believe there was a ceiling there at all. It felt as if Hogwarts simply opened into the heavens.

Harry saw a table at the front of the hall that must be for staff. Familiar faces filled the seats and he gave a small wave as he caught his mothers eye. He smiled at Quirrel and as his eyes traveled down the row they met the stare of a man dressed in black with a blank look on his face. Harry looked away but he could feel the man's eyes on him.

Professor McGonagall placed a stool out in front of the staff table and gently laid a tattered old hat on it. The pictures had got the hat just right. It sat there, ratty, ancient, and rather dirty looking, and yet the eyes of all of the older students were focused on the Sorting Hat. The hall went silent. For a few moments no one fidgeted, whispered, or moved. Then the hat twitched, a slit near the brim opened up like a mouth, and the hat began to sing:

Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,  
But don't judge on what you see,  
I'll eat myself if you can find  
A smarter hat than me.  
You can keep your bowlers black,  
Your top hats sleek and tall,  
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat  
And I can top them all.  
There's nothing hidden in your head  
The Sorting Hat can't see,  
So try me on and I will tell you  
Where you ought to be.  
You might belong in Gryffindor,  
Where dwell the brave at heart,  
Their daring, nerve and chivalry  
Set Gryffindors apart;  
You might belong in Hufflepuff,  
Where they are just and loyal,  
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true  
And unafraid of toil;  
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,  
If you've a steady mind,  
Where those of wit and learning,  
Will always find their kind;  
Or perhaps in Slytherin  
You'll make your real friends,  
Those cunning folk use any means  
To achieve their ends.  
So put me on! Don't be afraid!  
And don't get in a flap!  
You're in safe hands (though I have none)  
For I'm a Thinking Cap!

The hall burst into applause when the hat had finished. The sound was overwhelming and the first years, extremely impressed, joined in to marvel at the clever old hat.

Professor McGonagall stepped forward holding a long list of parchment. The dread that had been growing in Harry's gut had been temporarily replaced by awe over the ceiling and then the hat. It now returned stronger than ever.

"When I call your name you will step forward and be sorted," she said, unrolling the list. "Abbot, Hannah!"

A pink-faced girl with pigtails stumbled out of line, sat down, and had the hat placed on her head. There was a moment's pause before the hat shouted, "HUFFLEPUFF!"

The table on the right cheered and clapped and Hannah went to sit at her new table.

"Didn't look like it hurt then," whispered Ron.

The list went on and students were sorted and cheered to each of their four tables. Harry noticed that sometimes the hat shouted immediately but with others it paused for just a second, as if thinking.

"Granger, Hermione!" called McGonagall.

The curly headed girl stepped forward and the boys gave her an encouraging smile.

Harry watched as she sat down. The hat paused for longer than it had for anyone so far. Finally, it shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

A smile spread across Ron's face, Harry raised an eyebrow at him and the ginger's face went slack. Harry laughed as Ron nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders.

Soon enough Longbottom, Neville was called and the round faced boy slowly walked forward. Harry and Ron smiled and nodded when he turned back to stare at the boys nervously. He sat down and the hat was on for just a couple of seconds before shouting, "GRYFFINDOR!" Neville looked extremely surprised and pleased as he went and sat across from Hermione.

The two boys watched as more students were sorted, exchanging annoyed looks as the blonde boy joined his goons who had already been sorted into Slytherin. Harry felt his heart speed up as they moved through the alphabet until finally, "Potter, Harry!" was called.

The room erupted in whispers but Harry didn't notice as he stepped toward the ancient hat,. His legs felt as if they'd turned to lead as he dragged himself to the stool. He sat down and felt the hat being lowered, it covered his eyes and ears, he was suddenly cut off from the room. This is where all of his nightmares turned awful. The hat on his head would stay silent. Maybe it would announce he didn't belong there in front of everyone.

"Hmmm," said a small voice in his ear making Harry jump, "difficult, very difficult. You trust like a Hufflepuff. Yes, there's a kindness to you too. Yet you study much like a Ravenclaw, depending on books to understand the unexplainable. Gryffindor loyalty here too, brave and slightly reckless. But such talent and determination, Slytherin could fit you well. So difficult, where shall I put you?"

Talent!? Harry thought, I have talent? Then he remembered Hermione and Neville already at Gryffindor and the cruel boy and his goons in Slytherin. Not Slytherin, he thought desperately, please not Slytherin.

The hat whispered back as if reading his mind, "Are you sure? Slytherin could take you to such great places, it's all here."

No, please no, Harry thought even harder.

"Well alright then, if not Slytherin, then it had better be GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted and the professor lifted it off Harry's head.

The table furthest to left exploded in applause and cheers, Hermione, Neville, Fred, and George all waving their arms and shouting. Harry sat next to Hermione and they smiled at each other brightly before turning back to watch the sorting. Harry could sense the other students staring at him around the room. Now that they knew his name people were whispering and pointing, even at his own table. Harry ignored them.

He glanced up at the staff table and saw Hagrid and his mom grinning hugely and giving him 'thumbs up'. He breathed deeply, he'd survived his nightmare. He was sorted. The hat had said he had talent! He watched as Ron's name was finally called. The boy walked, shaking and nearly green, to the stool. The hat had barely touched his head when it shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

The Gryffindor table once again erupted into cheers, no one louder than Fred and George. Ron sat down across from Harry.

"Not so bad, eh?" Ron said laughing, still a shade that was very nearly green.

"No, good thing we weren't worried right?" replied Harry, laughing in return.

Harry recognized Albus Dumbledore from his frog card as he stood to speak. He was beaming, arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.

"Welcome!" he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you."

He sat back down to the applause of all. Harry looked at his friends not sure whether or not to laugh.

"Is he... is he, a bit mad?" Harry whispered.

Percy Weasley was sitting on the other side of Hermione and leaned back to reply, "Mad? He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes Harry?"

The second he asked the smell reached Harry's nose and he turned back to see the table had become filled with golden dishes, brimming with food. Harry began filling his plate with a little of everything but stopped when the ruffled ghost from earlier floated by.

"It all looks very good," said the ghost.

"Can't you eat?" asked Ron, his mouth filled with chicken.

"Haven't eaten for nearly five hundred years. I don't need to of course," he paused, "but it would be rather nice."

Harry stopped eating, feeling guilty. Hermione and Neville did as well. Hermione finally kicked Ron under the table to get him to stop and he glared at her as he put down his fork.

"I haven't properly introduced myself have I?" the ghost asked, looking rather pleased that these first years were being so considerate. "Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor tower."

"Oh! I've heard of you! My brothers told me all about you! You're Nearly Headless Nick!" said Ron, momentarily taking his longing eyes off his plate.

"I prefer to called Sir Nicholas de Mims-" the ghost started.

"How can you be nearly headless?" a sandy haired boy down the table interrupted. Harry thought his name was Seamus.

"Like this!" Sir Nicholas answered irritably, pulling his head to the side. Someone had obviously attempted to behead him and failed, leaving the head attached by just a bit of skin on one side. Ron pushed his plate away and Sir Nicholas looked a little pleased at the discomfort he'd caused.

"Now, if there's no more silly questions Gryffindors I hope you'll all be working hard this year to win the house cup. The Slytherins have won it for the past six years and the Bloody Baron is becoming nearly unbearable, he's the Slytherin ghost."

The students followed Sir Nicholas's gaze across the room the the farthest table. There they saw a gloomy, empty eyed ghost hovering, Harry was delighted to see, right next to Draco Malfoy. The ghost appeared to be covered in shimmering silver blood.

"How did he get covered in blood?" Neville asked with a shiver.

"I've never inquired," replied Nearly headless Nick delicately.

Once they had eaten their fill (Ron's appetite wasn't lost for long) the platters were replaced by trays filled with deserts. Harry took a treacle tart as their conversation turned to their families.

"I'm half-and-half," said Seamus. "Me dad's a muggle. Mum didn't tell him she was a witch 'til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him."

They all laughed and Ron turned toward Neville.

"Neville and I are in the same boat. His parents and mine are part of the same group, magic as far back as it goes."

Neville nodded, "We weren't sure if I was gunna have enough magic. Ma Great Uncle Algie was always trying to catch me off guard when he'd watch me with ma gran. Ma mum and dad are Aurors so they're off quite a bit. Nothing really happened till I was eight. Ma parents were in Germany so Great Uncle Algie was dangling me out the window by ma ankles and ma Great Aunt Enid offered him a piece of meringue. He accidentally dropped me but I bounced all the way down the drive way. Everyone was absolutely thrilled when I got in here. Mum said she never doubted it."

The attention shifted to Hermione as they had been working their way through the group sitting together. "Neither of my parents are magic, they're dentists actually. Professor McGonagall had a hard time convincing them but they're very excited for me. We even bought an owl for post."

The group then turned toward Harry, except for Ron who was starting to look in danger of dozing off, crumbs littering an area of table around him.

"I guess I don't really know much about the magical world. My mum's a witch and my dad was a wizard but I was raised muggle so it took me awhile to adjust all this," he said motioning to the enchanted ceiling and floating candles.

"You were raised what!?" exclaimed Seamus in disbelief, "Why?"

"My mum just thought it'd be best with the tension here and what-not. It wasn't bad. I mean, the stuff you guys do," Harry said motioning to the room, "it's bloody fantastic isn't it? But I never knew I was missing out on, did I?"

Seamus was still staring at him in disbelief as the dishes across the tables disappeared. Harry glanced up to the staff table but his mother was talking with the dark eyed man. As he was watching them the man's head suddenly turned; they made eye contact and a sharp pain seared across Harry's forehead.

"What's the matter Harry? Are you alright?" asked Hermione.

"Harry?" inquired Percy, taking up his duty as prefect.

"I'm fine," Harry answered, squinting as the pain receded. "Who's that teacher talking to my mum?" he asked the older boy.

"That's Professor Snape. He's probably one of the hardest teachers here. Head of Slytherin. They look like they know each other," Percy finished thoughtfully.

Harry watched as the two spoke, neither meeting the others eyes. He'd encountered a lot of men who were interested in his mom over the years, but this looked different.

The hall fell silent as Professor Dumbledore stood once again, interrupting his thoughts about the dark stranger and the pain in his head.

"Ahem, just a few more words now that we're all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you."

"First years should know that the forest on the grounds in forbidden to all pupils. A few of our older students would do well to remember that as well," his blue eyes twinkled as he glanced at the twins.

"I have also been asked by our caretaker, Mr. Filch, to remind you that no magic is to be used in the corridors before, between, or after classes."

"Quidditch tryouts will be held after the second week. Anyone interested in playing for their house team should contact Madame Hooch."

"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side of the castle is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a terrible and painful death."

Harry's eyes grew wide and he watched as his mother stared at the headmaster in confusion. The rest of the teachers looked perfectly at ease with the statement. His mother's confusion scared him.

"He's not serious is he?" Harry asked, reaching around to pull on Percy's sleeve.

"Must be. It's odd though, normally he gives us reason why we can't go places. The Forbidden Forest is full of horrible magical beasts, everyone knows that. Still, better to be safe and listen to him Harry."

"And now," Dumbledore continued when the murmurs had quieted a bit, "Before we all go to bed let's sing the school song."

Waving his wand a thin gold stream flicked out and twisted itself into words.

"Everybody pick their favorite tune, alright then, here we go!"

The school bellowed out:

Hogwarts, Hogwarts, hoggy warty Hogwarts,  
Teach us something please,  
Whether we be old and bald,  
Or young with scabby knees,  
Our heads could do with filling,  
With some interesting stuff,  
For now they're bare and full of air,  
Dead flies and bits of fluff,  
So teach us things worth knowing,  
Bring back what we've forgot,  
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,  
And learn until our brains all rot.

They all finished at different times. The Weasley twins were the last to finish, mournfully singing the tune to a funeral dirge. Dumbledore conducted the last few lines with his wand and was one of the loudest to clap at the end.

"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

Harry was nearly asleep in his seat but followed Percy up the stairs with the other Gryffindor first years. He vaguely saw a stair case move and bumped into Ron when they apparently stopped to climb through a portrait of a fat lady in an absurd dress. The boys and girls split off and wandered toward a set of stairs the prefect indicated. Harry plopped down in the bed that his trunk was in front of, not bothering to change, and fell asleep immediately.

***Thanks for everything guys***


	11. Tea for Three

***I own nothing. All Hail Our Queen!***

**A couple of chunks straight from cannon**

Harry was awoken by a pain searing through his scar. He pressed his hand tightly to his forehead, not sure how else to stop the it, but the pain quickly faded. He felt like he'd had a nightmare but all he could remember was a flash of green light. He laid there for a moment, eyes closed, trying to remember but a pressure on his bed made him open his eyes.

His still unnamed owl fluttered from her position at his feet to his bed side table for a more stable place to perch. The morning light streaming through the windows hit her white feathers and for a moment Harry just stared at her.

"Oi, I didn't think owls were allowed in the dorms."

Harry turned to see a dark boy in the bed across from his. Looking back at his owl, Harry noticed she was presenting her leg to have a slip of paper removed. He recognized the pale green stationary and chuckled to himself. If it was against the rules to send owls to the dorms his mother wouldn't pay it any mind.

He stroked the owl's head and she nipped him affectionately before flying back out of the window next to his bed.

"Where do the owls stay?" he asked the boy.

"In an owlry, I asked the prefect last night because I've got an owl too. He says they can't stay in the dorms because they eat the rats."

Ron's rat popped his head out from the covers and scampered under the bed. Harry and the new boy laughed. Ron, Seamus, and Neville stirred.

"I'm Dean Thomas."

"Harry Potter," said Harry, pulling himself out of bed to sort through his trunk.

"I heard a lot about you last night at the banquet. Bit of a shock, all this."

Harry nodded and noticed a West Ham football sticker on the boy's trunk. "Muggle born?"

"Maybe. Don't really know. My dad left when I was little but my mum supposes he was a wizard. Raised completely muggle though. It's pretty intense getting the letter, seeing the shops, and now the castle. You've even got wands and pointy hats," he laughed. "It's cool though."

There was a knock at their door and Percy walked in.

"Alright first years we'll leave for the great hall in about twenty minutes. Normally you'll go down to breakfast alone but I'll walk you down today so you don't get lost. First day of classes today so wear your full school uniform. You'll get your schedule at breakfast from our head of house, Professor McGonagall. So, every one up! Bathroom is down the stairs and across the common room, it's the one on your right. See you in twenty."

The five boys sat on the couches and chairs nearest to the door. They were soon joined by the first year girls. They all introduced themselves and a short red-headed girl named Alice immediately began discussing football with Dean.

Hermione started shooting questions at Neville and Ron about wizarding traditions, religion, and politics. The two pure-bloods struggled to answer as fast or as thoroughly as the bushy haired girl would have liked and were glad to be interrupted by Percy and the female prefect Audrey.

The two prefects carefully inspected the uniforms of the first years before leading them down to the Great Hall.

More awake now, the new students were left slack jawed by their surroundings. The stair cases did in fact move and the portraits, which Harry had been very excited about seeing, shouted out to them. Some characters even leaving their own portraits completely in favor of following the group to continue talking.

Harry stopped in the doorway of the Great Hall. The sky above him was now a clear blue and the candles had disappeared. His mother looked at him questioningly from the table at the front of the hall. He remembered the note in his pocket. He tugged it out as he hurried to catch up with the others. Sitting next to Ron, he read:

Meet after classes?

We can have tea in the dungeon!

Love you!

Mum

He looked up and nodded at Lily. It had only been a day but he had so much to ask her. Harry watched his mother smile at her son before returning to her conversation with the dark man, Professor Snape. When he turned back to his friends their plates had been filled and Fred and George were telling Seamus about a ghost teacher who had retired the year before. Apparently years ago he'd died in his chair, got up as a ghost, and continued teaching. When some first years tried to exorcise him before exams, Dumbledore had finally told him the truth and he'd retired. Hermione wanted to know what happened to retired ghosts but no one had a clue.

Professor McGonagall started down the Gryffindor table handing out schedules. Harry read his with a sense of wonder. He was here, but sometimes he had to wait a moment to really wrap his head around the fact that all of this was real. He was holding his schedule to his first year at a wizarding school.

"Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts, then?" noted Ron, examining his piece of parchment. "Could be worse. Think yer mum'll be hard?"

"I don't know. I don't really know how much she knows about potions. She's a terrible cook without magic. We've got that with Slytherins and Defense with Ravenclaw. Better go grab books."

They started up the stairs back toward Gryffindor tower but there had to be over a hundred stair cases, some with missing stairs, and quite a few that moved if you weren't fast enough. They ended up getting on the wrong side of a thin, dirty looking man named Mr. Filch on their first morning.

They were trying to find a bathroom for Neville and ended up in the corridor that they'd been forbidden to enter. Mr. Filch and his dust colored cat, Mrs. Norris, glared the boys down as they tried to explain. Thankfully, Professor Quirrell was wandering by and sent the boys off in the right direction after hearing their story.

They met an excited looking Hermione outside the potions room. Finding the door open, they made their way over to a table near the front. They each sat behind a pewter cauldron, the tools of potion making were already set out in front of them. Hermione began informing them about ghosts and the extremely complicated magic it took for them to move on, apparently she'd found the library.

The door creaked closed as in walked Lily Potter.

~'*'~

Lily felt as if she might be sick. She tried calming herself. She'd faced death eaters, vampires, and Lord Voldemort himself but the thought of teaching terrified her. She and Sev had spent most of the morning going over her lesson but she was still nervous. Straightening her lilac hat, she stepped through the door way.

The murmurs ceased as she entered and Lily smiled. The green and red clad students sat on opposite sides of the room but that was to be expected. She spotted Harry and Ron in the second row and reminded herself of her friend's advice, teach to Harry.

Turning toward the black board she wrote:

Professor Potter

First Year Potions

Cup of Kindness

She wrote the first few ingredients and stopped. "You might want to write this down," she said with a chuckle.

The first years scrambled for parchment and began copying the words from the board. She finished the potion instructions and waited as one-by-one the first years put down their quills and looked up at her. Two bigger Slytherins were the last to finish, they looked around embarrassed, and Lily gave them her most encouraging smile.

"Now the name is pretty self-explanatory but who can tell me what this potion does and its most common uses?"

Only the bushy haired girl sitting next to Ron raised her hand.

She nodded at her and the girl grinned and began reciting from memory the exact explanation listed in the text book.

Lily raised her eyebrows, impressed.

"Ten points to Gryffindor," the Sytherins moaned, "_if _you can repeat that in your own words Miss-?"

"Granger. Hermione Granger. Well it's similar to a pepper up potion in a way isn't it? Instead of giving you the energy you need to complete your tasks it enables you to be kind even to those who would normally frustrate you. It's used a lot by ministry workers and, well, by professors to deal with students."

"And how would you use it Miss Granger?"

Hermione looked a tad taken aback and thought for a moment before answering.

"I suppose in the library," a few of the other first years snickered and Lily gave them a sharp silencing look.

"Why?"

"I can come off a bit rude when people interrupt my reading."

Only a pale blonde boy snickered this time.

"We can all see that you would need it when dealing with your more studious peers Mr-?" Lily said darkly.

"Malfoy. Sorry Professor."

Lily's heart stopped for a moment. This must be Narcissa's boy. His resemblance to Lucius was almost as uncanny as Harry's to James.

"Ten points to Gryffindor." Hermione smiled and Ron nudged her, grinning. "And it's fine Mr. Malfoy, you've simply brought us to the first and most important rule of this class." Lily stepped forward and looked each student in the eye as she spoke. "When you walk through the door into my classroom you will no longer be from different houses. After today a charm will be placed on the door that will removed all color from your clothing while in this room. I know that I can not force you to set aside the differences that are encouraged outside of this room but potions favors no student and no student of mine will treat another cruelly in my presence. When I award or deduct points it will be according to the student, not their house. Now the magic of the school will put those points into your house cup but I have also created this." She motioned to a set of jars lining the shelves across one wall.

Each jar was labeled with a students' name but only Hermione's had anything in it.

"I don't have the gems to fill the jar with rubies or emeralds but at the end of the year, the person who has attained the most points will not have take the final exam."

A wave of whispering washed through the classroom but stopped when Lily began to speak again.

"This is one of the most important subjects you will ever study. I can teach you how to become stronger, braver, more intelligent, and more lucky. With potions a person may choose to change his destiny. All of you, equally, deserve the right to learn. I want to encourage you to succeed for yourself, not for another's approval, well, besides mine."

Lily smiled at her students, ignoring the hint of distaste in the young Malfoy's eyes.

"Now, if you'll all look at the tools in front of you, I'll explain their names and proper uses."

~'*'~

"No offense mate but your mum's barking mad if she thinks changing our robes will change our minds about the Slytherins. You saw them on the train! Malfoy and his lot are all goons," Ron griped on their way up to Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"I think it's brilliant," said Hermione. "A lot of great wizards have come out of Slytherin and it would be good to know them. Besides, nearly all of them are pure-bloods which means they could answer a ton of my questions on wizarding traditions."

"Oi, Neville and I are pure-bloods!"

"Yes, but you can hardly answer my questions about your holidays. Most pure-bloods are Christian and the whole idea fascinates me!"

The group of four pushed open the classroom door and were hit by the stench of garlic. Strings of it ran across the walls and hung above the desks.

The boys had really been looking forward to the class and were a bit depressed to find that it was mostly Professor Quirrell stuttering out stories about his adventures. Apparently he'd had some bad run-ins with vampires in Amsterdam and was keeping the garlic around to discourage them from following him.

At lunch Hermione and the twins scoffed at the lies that the professor had pushed on the first years. They were certain that vampires would never get past the school's wards and even if they did, their slight distaste for garlic wouldn't keep them from Quirrell, if their coven's leader had demanded his death. Fred and George laughed at the man's story about his turban. Professor Quirrell had told the third years it was a present from an Arabian prince for banishing a frightful zombie. The twins said it smelled awful and was probably filled with more garlic.

Harry joined in the laughter but the headache he'd developed during class took most of his attention. Getting more pain pills from his mother was about all he could focus on.

~'*'~

"It was great Sev," Lily smiled to Snape.

Their relationship was still fragile but they'd spent the last evening in her room, Lily accusing and Snape apologizing and explaining. After hours of anger, a few dodged curses, and a few singed doilies they had started to heal one of the earliest friendships either of them had had. The potions master was still walking on egg shells but he knew her acknowledgment of his existence was more than he deserved, so he gladly accepted the hesitant friendship she offered.

"Have you seen the bushy haired girl who sits with Harry?"

Snape nodded, "Rather large front teeth?"

"That's the one! She's absolutely brilliant, possibly a prodigy. Well, might have been a prodigy if she wasn't muggle born. She won't have to worry about that though. The wizarding world is changing, pure-blood families are dying out. She could be the next Dumbledore."

"Expectations might be a little high there Lily," the man replied carefully.

"Wait till you meet her! I know you won't have her in class for a few years but I guarantee she makes it in, even with your ridiculous standards." Lily smiled and got up as the kettle started to whistle.

A small knock came at the door.

"Come in Goose!" shouted Lily.

"Wasn't sure I was in the right hall until I saw the flower pots out side," he said, smiling as he entered.

Snape stood and stared at the boy. Lily had forced the man to wear his gray robes. She said in all black he looked like a bat, to which he'd replied that green made her look a bit like a leprechaun and he hadn't made her change. Never the less he stood there in gray, looking down at Jame's child and tried to look friendly.

Harry found Professor Snape even more frightening with raised eye brows and what was possibly an attempt at a smile. He stepped forward and grasped the teacher's outstretched hand.

"Harry, this is Severus Snape," said Lily, bringing over a tray of tea and biscuits. "Severus was the first wizard I ever met."

They all sat down in Lily's makeshift parlor, the males feeling extremely awkward.

"So how do you like Hogwarts Mr. Potter?" asked Snape.

"It's fantastic! Professor Quirrell's a bit odd, but my dorm mates are brilliant and it's even more, well, magical than I expected."

The tea poured itself, the pot asking each person if they'd like milk or sugar. Harry was extremely entertained and Severus looked questioningly at Lily at the extremely feminine voice of her teapot.

"It was a welcoming gift from Poppy, she's the school nurse Harry, along with the many doilies around the room." Lily laughed. "The flowers are from Pomona, she's your Herbology Professor. It's funny to me that they're trying so hard to make me feel at home, they should know that Hogwarts feels like home to me whether I want it to or not," she finished with a sad smile.

"I think that it has that effect on all of its residents," Snape quietly replied.

"Did you go here then?" asked Harry.

"Yes, your mother and I were in the same year."

"So did you know my dad?"

The room went quiet for a moment and Harry looked between the adults confused. Lily looked at Snape's pained expression and turned to her son.

"Snape and your father never really got on. He and Sirius and some other boys were absolutely horrid during their first couple of years. I wouldn't even speak to him," she smiled but it didn't reach her eyes. "Severus was my best friend back then."

"But he changed, right? When he got older?"

"Yes," said Severus, surprising Lily. "When he got older he became much kinder. Your mother does that to people, she makes them better."

"Yeah, I've noticed that," said Harry smiling. "What was Hogwarts like back then?" he asked, turning toward Snape.

The three of them chatted till dinner about a past they couldn't change and a future they couldn't know. Harry forgot the pain in his head, Lily forgot the distrust in her heart, and Snape forgot the memories that tortured his soul. For a few hours the three sat untouched by the pains that followed them.

***Sorry it's so short. Next chapter is our first big branch out from cannon so I wanted to get this stuff down separately. A million billion thanks to Majerus for sticking it out till VERY late night, with a time change, to get this to me. Since it's short you might have some spare time on your hands, go read Jean it's vonderbar! Alright lovelies I'm off to tap away and get you the crazy you've been looking for ;)***


	12. The Old Magics

***I own nothing. All Hail Our Queen***

**Some lines directly from cannon. Some ideas inspired by the absolutely stunning story Prince of the Dark Kingdom **

Lily knocked on the door of 12 Grimmauld Place. She tugged at her muggle clothes, the free flow of the robes she was now used to made the dress feel ridiculously tight.

The door opened and a tall woman with hair a few shades lighter than her own smiled down at her.

"Hey Lily, come on in!" she invited.

Lily was taken aback. She'd been here once, just after they'd all left Hogwarts but the place had completely changed. She braced herself for the screams of that terrible painting on the wall but none came.

The hall had thick white carpet, the chandelier shone brightly above her, and the staircase, once lined with the heads of house elves, was now covered in pictures of the Marauders, the Potters (past and present) and Sirius with his fiance. The wall on which the portrait had hung seemed to sick out a bit further.

The hostess noticed her guest's gaze.

"Apparently Walburga stuck herself on with a very powerful permanent sticking charm. When I moved in we finally built a wall in front of it. We had to put up more silencing charms than you'd believe but it's worked just fine. Kreacher hates it but I can't please everyone. Well I can't please him at all," she laughed and took the coffee cake from Lily.

"Kitchens right through here, Sirius is still at the Ministry but he'll be back any time. Would you like some tea?"

"Oh, yes please."

The woman was sweet and chatted softly about the horrors involved in renovating the house. Between tutoring Ron and Harry, managing her classes, and talking with Severus, she hadn't found time to talk to the new History of Magic Professor but she was impressed. She'd heard rumors about the woman. The most believable one being that Dumbledore had to fight the board to have her teach at the school. She felt oddly comfortable but couldn't quite work up the nerve to ask how much truth there were to the whispers.

According to rumor, Aerin was from one of the oldest wizarding families in Ireland. At tea with Harry, Lily had learned that the rumor was that Professor O' Neill's mother was seduced by an Elf. Not a little one but an ancient Woodlands elf. According to the gossip, when her husband found out about the incident he yanked the whole family to England to raise the child as his own.

Lily watched as Aerin openly used the trait that supposedly sparked these rumors, or more to the point, didn't use. The tall thin woman waved her graceful hands and the tea pot rose up to pour itself. The tea and sugar followed her soft voice and the oven door opened behind her to relinquish still warm cookies for the women to eat.

Lily was very much reminded of Molly Weasley, the way she effortlessly managed her kitchen, the missing piece was Aerin's wand. Lily and Aerin chatted about adjusting as Professors, both teachers extremely passionate about their subjects. The magic around the young woman sang in a way that Lily had never heard and yet she felt completely at ease.

There was a line from a movie Harry had loved as a child and it returned to her as the women talked.

There's not a word yet for old friends who've just met.

A flash of green startled the women as two men bounded from the fireplace laughing.

"Babe, I met Lupin at the Ministry so I asked him over for supper. You always cook enough for an army," he bent down and kissed the top of his fiance's head, "so I didn't think you'd mind."

Aerin got up and hugged Lupin.

"You ass, I thought you were writing when you got back from the sanctuary! We've been miserable for two days!"

"I knew you were fine," Sirius said with a grin.

The werewolf looked bashful and also a tad bashed in. Lily sat, yet unnoticed by her old friend, staring at the side of his face that was facing her, it looked a bit like raw hamburger. His eye on that side was covered by a bandage, the skin was blood red and in some places covered in a thick looking cream.

"I'm sorry Aerin, I've been in St. Mungos," the tall woman's eyes widened, "but I'm better now, I'm fine! Relations are going to be better for this little spat," he said motioning to the side of his face. "It's fine Fairyland."

Aerin nodded, relaxing a little with the use of her nickname but still looked concerned.

Sirius wrapped his arms around Aerin from behind and whispered something in her ear. Aerin smiled, squeezed Remus' arm and left the room.

Remus stretched and in doing so brought his good side toward Lily.

His jaw slackened and he stood for a moment just looking at her as if she were a ghost.

"Hey Moony."

Lily was swept off her feet and into Remus' arms as he spun her around. She laughed and he set her down and held her at arms length.

"Lily Evans," he hugged her again. "Sirius always said you were out there. I didn't believe him, I thought you'd contact me at least."

"Why not me!?" asked Sirius walking over to a pile of mail on the counter near the door.

Lily and Remus rolled their eyes and grinned.

"I can't imagine how you felt Remus. I'm sorry, I just couldn't come back."

The injured man nodded his understanding, "What's done is done. You're here now and Harry too! Did you bring pictures? I would have come with Sirius and Hagrid but my face has been plastered across the Prophet and people can be a bit harsh."

Lily grabbed her bag from the table and brought out a small booklet of photos.

"I tried bringing him today but he had his first Quidditch practice."

Sirius looked up from the pile of mail he'd been sorting.

"What practice?"

"Quidditch."

"But he's a first year," Sirius stated, putting down the mail and sitting with his old friends.

"Apparently there was an incident during his first flying lesson. Narcissa's son took a ball that belonged to Alice and Frank's boy, Harry tried to get it back but the Malfoy boy took off on a broom. Harry went after him on his broom but the brat threw the ball away. That child is ten shades of awful. Harry sped after it and caught it out of the air on a Cleansweep!"

Lily smiled at the face of a visibly impressed Sirius Black.

"Minerva saw him from her window and thought it was James," she continued and the three exchanged nostalgic looks. "She thinks he could make a great Seeker. You should have heard her! She made Harry sound like a gift from Merlin, after she'd sternly reprimanded him for his disobedience and given him detention, of course."

"Detention!?" Sirius stood dramatically.

"With Snape. I honestly think she did it because I was sitting right there. Minerva is fantastic but no one will ever claim she has favorites."

"But still, Snape?" Padfoot said the name with such distaste that Lily opened her mouth to defend the potions master.

A barely noticeable bleep came from the oven. "Dinners ready, be right down," Aerin yelled from above them and the conversation died out as they set the table for dinner.

The four of them sat and ate and discussed the world, weddings and werewolves.

Later Aerin walked Lily to the door, she had to get back to Hogwarts to meet with Harry. The women made plans to go to Hogsmeade the next week, just the two of them. Yelling her farewells to Moony and Padfoot, Lily Potter turned on the spot and found herself at the gates of the school.

~'*'~

Harry had been attempting to complete a three foot essay on the Elvish Treaties for Professor O' Neill but his headaches were getting worse. His mum had brewed him a pain relieving potion the night before but now she wanted to have the nurse take a look. When Harry's headaches hadn't stopped his mother had become abnormally nervous. He just wanted to get this fixed so he could sleep, they were always worse at night.

He was half listening to Ron and Hermione discuss the magical seals that cinched the treaties but his eyes kept wandering back to the front gates.

When his mum finally apparated outside, Harry jumped, knocking over his ink. Hermione sucked it up with her wand using a spell Lily had taught them at their study session a few days before.

"Are you okay Harry?" asked Hermione. "You've been really weird this last week."

"Yeah, I just have to go talk to my mom."

"Can we come? I'm still not getting the swish and flick down," Ron looked over at his chipped wand resentfully.

"Uh, not tonight guys. I probably won't be gone very long though," he said, pushing his things to the side of the table and getting up.

Harry stepped out of the portrait hole and gave a yelp as a dark figure swept out of the shadows.

Snape laughed quietly at the boy but quickly pulled a straight face as his friends popped their heads out.

"Alrigh' there Harry?"

"He's fine Mr. Longbottom," Snape drawled. "I apparently strike an imposing figure." He drew himself up to stare down at the three first years.

Ron and Neville turned white but Hermione suppressed a grin and turned away.

As Harry walked away with Snape he gave a reassuring wave to his friends then turned toward the professor questioningly. His gaze was not answered by the enigmatic professor. The halls were shadowed and their footsteps echoed as they entered a part of the castle that Harry had never seen before.

They met Lily outside of a set of large double doors as she approached from another hall. Lily began shooting off questions about Harry's first day of Quidditch practice as they stepped through to the infirmary together. Suddenly a huge grin spread across her face and the questions stopped, Harry followed her gaze.

He watched as a squat woman bustled toward them and grabbed either side of his face. Tears welled in her eyes as she looked at James' son.

"I haven't seen you since the day you were born. You're so tall!" she laughed, taking a step back.

"Harry, this is Madam Pomfrey. She's the school's nurse and she was our nurse when you were born. There's no one else I'd trust more with you Goose," Lily smiled and the nurse reached out to squeeze her hand.

"Alright dear," she said turning to Harry, "sit over here. I'm just going to run some quick tests."

The tiny woman's face grew darker the more sweeps she made with her wand. Her sweet tones growing more serious as she questioned Harry and Lily.

She hurried over to a small office and through the door the trio watched her pull books off a small shelf. The nurse muttered and scribbled notes, her eyebrows furrowing more with each passage she read.

Coming out, Poppy approached the group looking a little ill.

"Lily, can I speak to you alone?"

"Poppy this isn't my secret to keep. If this is what I think, he needs to know."

The mediwitch nodded and waved chairs over for the group, placing a silencing charm on the door.

"This is an area we don't have much information on Harry. The only two people alive who have survived the killing curse are sitting right here. Because of the lack of knowledge, I can really only speculate. Have either of you heard of a horcrux?" she asked, looking between the two professors.

The color drained from Lily's face as she nodded yes. Snape's face faded into its usual mask but there was confusion behind his eyes.

The nurse turned toward Harry, "I know this is all new to you Harry, but have you heard of the Unforgivable Curses?"

"Yeah, I looked them up when they were mentioned in all the books about..." the boy paused, unsettled by his mother who now had silent tears streaming down her face. He seemed to falter, unable to continue.

The healer continued, seeing Harry's distress yet knowing she had to get this out. "Well these spells aren't only unforgivable by wizarding standards, they're unforgivable by our bodies standards as well. When a wizard uses one of these spells, they wear on your mind and your soul. There is a dark magic that, because of the damage it causes your soul, gives a wizard the ability to split their soul at the moment they use the killing curse."

"Poppy, don't tell me you're suggesting..." Snape stopped, too disgusted by the thought to continue. He met Lily's eyes and reached for the crying mother's hand.

"I read about it during the last war. Dumbledore had some, well, less conventional books brought in for me to study. We wanted to be prepared for anything they threw at the Order. The things dark magic can do," she breathed in and shook her head as if to shake away the images. "I never thought we'd see anything of this caliber, not even from You-Know-Who."

Realizing she was crying, Lily wiped her eyes. Her worst fears were coming true, she had read up on as many possible explanations for Harry's scar as she could. The consequences of the nurses diagnosis were more frightening than the explanation itself.

"What do we do now?" Snape asked.

"Do about what?" asked Harry fearfully, looking from one adult to another.

"When Voldemort tried to kill you that night, I believe, his soul may have fractured at the performance of an act so vile. That fragment of his soul would have marked you Harry," Poppy explained, twisting her hands in her lap.

Harry raised a hand to his scar and turned to his mother, frightened. She took her son into a tight hug.

"What do we do?" Snape repeated.

Poppy shook her head hopelessly but Lily cleared her throat and ran her fingers through Harry's hair.

"Severus, Poppy, what do you know of the Old Magics?"

~'*'~

His mother had walked him to the portrait answering each of his questions but sensing he wanted to know something more. Lily insisted they meet for breakfast the next morning, maybe he could ask her what he needed to know after he'd slept on it.

Harry returned to his room shaken. Thoughts ran through his head without really coming into focus. His mother's explanation of the origins of magic left so many questions. When it came to something confusing that he needed to talk out, he turned to Hermione. The young girl was exceptional at voicing the questions Harry wanted to ask, in the words that wouldn't always come together correctly in his own mind. But Hermione was asleep and his wrongly worded questions remained unanswered, clanging back and forth in his head.

He closed the curtains around his bed and took out the vial Madam Pomfrey had given him, it was called 'Dreamless Sleep'. Maybe that's exactly what he needed. Harry uncorked the potion and drank it all in one swallow. It had started out to be such a good day. As he drifted to sleep he imagined the rush of flying and the thrill of catching the Snitch. No matter how fast he flew Harry couldn't escape the nightmares that chased him.

~'*'~

Snape was waiting in Lily's 'parlor' for her when she returned from walking Harry to Gryffindor tower. She sat down across from him and put her head in her hands.

The potions master spoke carefully, knowing Lily would be very upset. "Did you know? You seemed to understand the diagnosis before Poppy finished giving it."

"I had read about it," she sighed and looked up. "Harry and I holidayed in Germany when he was little. I left him at the embassy day care and went to the library in the wizarding section of town."

"Dark magic is more widely accepted there and I could only find brief references to the subjects I needed in the books I found in France. Thankfully Germany, like the rest of the wizarding world, believes all Old Magic to be dark magic, so their section on it was more extensive than any I had ever seen."

Lily walked to the trunk at the end of her bed, whispering a few quick words, the case opened. She bent and rifled through it. Snape watched her, noticing the exhaustion that was apparent in her every movement.

"This has been my reference guide since I converted," she said, handing over a very old volume to the surprised man.

"Converted? Lily, do you understand what that means?"

"Severus, breathe. James and I made that decision a long time ago. Constant death threats force people to really consider their beliefs. I can't confirm it but I think my growing devotion to Gaea saved my life in Godric's Hollow. I've spoken to her since," the color drained from Snape's face, "but I can sense that that question is not one she will answer."

"Is Harry a...?" Snape began, not knowing exactly what to call the beliefs of his dearest friend.

"No, but I didn't raise him as a Christian either. We, James and I, decided the choice would be his. When James was killed and I turned away from the wizarding world, it made giving him that choice more difficult. My belief that Gaea saved me ensured that I wouldn't raise him with the common faith but I couldn't raise him in the Old Magics either. Muggles can handle a ridiculous amount of different beliefs these days, but no matter the era they can't seem to stand witchcraft."

"But how did you – aren't there rites and rituals that must be observed?" Snape asked, eyes running over the pictures and symbols on the text in his lap.

"Yes, of course. But the gods and goddesses aren't blind Sev. I pay homage to Freya and she can see the restraints my secrets have put on me through the years."

Severus looked up, confused.

"Freya, isn't she the goddess of war? And she's Norse but Gaea is Greek, isn't she?"

"I don't think any deity belongs to a specific nationality," she laughed quietly. "Wizards have used different names to describe the same gods since magic was given to us. I use the names favored by my goddesses. Freya is the patron goddess of both motherhood and battle."

Snape went silent as he turned back to the book. Questions raced through his mind. For a person to promise their soul to the Earth instead of the Sky was unheard of in this day and age. Personally he always thought the Old Magic to be an ancient superstition of no logical merit. Yet here he sat, across from one of the brightest witches of his time, and she really believed this... collection of old wives tales.

He shook his head, "None of this is real Lily."

"That's fear talking, fear that you've wasted a lifetime following edicts from a silent sky." Lily took back the book, her eyes filling with devotion as she traced the runes on the cover. She looked up to meet Snape's stare, "There is no wrong faith Severus, there is only error through disbelief."

The clock on Lily's wall chimed and that seemed to signal an end to the discussion. The two parted, promising to talk more in the morning.

***Next on Unknown Magic: Magics revealed, plans made and Halloween! Hurrah!***


	13. Halloween

***I own nothing. All Hail Our Queen***

**Elements of this story were inspired by the epic Prince of the Dark Kingdom***

"So what am I?" asked Hermione.

Lily cocked her head to the side, "What do you feel like?"

The two had been talking all afternoon, Harry and Ron sat to the side playing Wizards chess. The boys had stuck in a few questions and Harry glanced over to read his mother's expressions occasionally.

"Well my parents are Presbyterian but I honestly didn't go to church much. I was baptized, does that mean anything?" The young girl sat in the same chair Snape had the night before, staring at the pages of Lily's book just as intently as the professor, though for different reasons.

"Symbolic acts can tie your soul to your faith. The act of baptizing a baby is viewed as a sign of devotion by the parents, it really has no effect on the child once they are able to make their own choices. What I mean to ask is, when you use your magic where do you feel it coming from?"

"I don't know, I've never really thought about it."

"Try your favorite spell, the one that has the happiest memories tied to it."

Hermione stood and drew her wand from her sleeve. "It's actually one of the spells you taught us. I used it in the dorm the other day and all the other girls got really impressed," the girl smiled at Lily and firmly said "Lumos."

Ron and Harry looked up. Ron looked envious, he hadn't been able to get his wand to even glimmer yet.

"You've been practicing! That's great!" Lily beamed.

The girl's smile grew and her wand glowed a bit brighter.

"Now, holding the spell, follow the magic from the tip of your wand to inside you." Lily watched as Hermione bit her lip, the girl's face the picture of concentration. "Good, now listen."

The room was completely silent. Both boys stared at Hermione, who now stood with her eyes closed.

A moment passed like that, all eyes on the bushy haired girl.

Suddenly Hermione gasped for air, not realizing that she'd been holding her breath. Her eyes were wild as she looked around the room. She sat back down in her chair and began flipping through the pages intently, finally she settled on a page depicting a woman whose face was shielded by her hair.

"I wasn't sure if that would work!" Lily laughed. "I read about it but I had already aligned my soul with the Earth so it wouldn't really tell me anything."

As the boys took in the picture, Ron opened his mouth to make a comparison between the goddesses' hair and his Hermione's own untamed mass of curls. Harry, knowing his friend well enough to anticipate what was coming, elbowed him and shook his head.

Lily was filled with pride as she stared at Hermione. "Anahita. I should have guessed."

Ron glanced over her shoulder and read, "Goddess of healing, wisdom, and... fertility."

Hermione blushed. "I've always wanted to be a doctor," she quietly answered, tracing the symbol of her goddess. "This is all quite strange isn't it?"

"I think it's kinda brilliant," Ron added, smiling. Turning to Lily, he asked earnestly, "Could I do it? Do you think it would work with me?"

"I don't know. What are your family loyalties?" Lily asked, turning to the red headed boy.

"Like god wise? I don't know. My dad's side is Catholic I think but my mum is really superstitious. We were never really raised any certain way," Ron finished. He fingered his old, chipped, hand-me-down-wand as he stared at Hermione's new wand and then the girl herself who was lost in the text on her lap.

In the meantime something had caught Lily's attention. Looking intently at his wand her face became troubled, "I don't think it will work for you." Ron's face dropped.

"Not because of anything about you!" she rushed on, seeing his distress. "It's just that your wand isn't bonded to you. It's loyal to you but it's know different magics, from your brother and your uncle right?"

Ron nodded, looking slightly less miserable.

"It might not lock onto your core completely then."

Harry met his mother's expectant stare.

He knew she wanted him to be okay with all of this. A lot had happened in a short time, finding out that magic was real was huge. Finding out his father had been killed by an evil wizard who had tried to kill both he and his mother had been nearly overwhelming. For some reason a wizarding goddess who his mother secretly worshiped was to much. He felt detached, as if he was walking through a dream, but everyone else seemed so excited.

He mumbled an excuse about an essay and ignored his mother's concerned look as he left her rooms.

Harry wandered the corridors for awhile, just trying to sort through everything that had happened in the past few months. His mind wandered back to Lily's face after Hermione had found her patron goddess. What did she expect him to do? What if he didn't have a goddess or if Voldemort's soul piece messed thing up?

He turned a corner and suddenly realized he had no idea where he was.

Walking to the nearest door he couldn't see any markings or sign. On an impulse he knocked, a deep, low growl came from the other side and Harry jumped back, eyes wide.

He turned around and quickly left the way he came. Though it took him another ten minutes, and some directions from a helpful ghost, he made it back to his room before Ron and dodged further talk on the subjects of faith and magic.

~'*'~

Severus Snape readied himself, for what, he didn't know but he took his time carefully filing away and blocking the memories from the night before. The last thing he wanted Dumbledore to know was that his new potions assistant was talking complete nonsense. He entered the Headmaster's office and took in the old man's once again ridiculous outfit with a frown.

"Oh come now Severus, I thought they were quite nice!" Professor Dumbledore waved his hand and the dancing stars that covered his robe stopped their psychedelic swirling.

"I'm afraid they're not quite my taste Albus."

"Yes, quite, have a seat! Lemon drop?" he asked, holding out a bowl of candy.

"No thank you sir, I have quite a few fifth year essays to grade," the dark haired man prompted.

"How are your classes?"

"Professor Potter taking the younger students has made this semester particularly enjoyable, thus far."

"I'm glad to hear it and what does Lily think about teaching?"

"She seems to rather like it," Snape answered flatly, wondering why exactly he'd been called in.

"I've noticed you seem to be spending quite a lot of time together."

Ah, thought the potions master, I should have guessed.

"We've always had similar intelligence levels. She's been helping me work on perfecting the wolfsbane potion. Even though Slughorn was so proud of the man – especially after his Order of Merlin – it turns out Damocles could have created a much more effective brew with a few tweaks."

"Yes, yes, that's very interesting. I'm sure Slughorn will be quite pleased to know that three of his best potions students are bettering the world."

Snape smiled. He and Lily had discussed how they would announce the improved potion to the wizarding world. The Slug Club had been a point of tension in their friendship when the pair were younger. Snape was clearly a better potioner than Lily, yet in class his achievements were ignored quite regularly in favor of Lily's, who was always invited to the professor's gatherings. To now have the opportunity to outshine Damocles, who was also a Slug Club member, Lily had graciously insisted to announce the potion solely as Snape's discovery.

"I'm sure he will," Severus finally answered, once again his voice was flat, waiting for the man to get to his point.

"And how's the boy getting along? I haven't had a chance to speak with him yet. I asked Lily but she insisted that individual attention from the Headmaster would appear a bit strange to his classmates."

Snape smiled thinly. Only Lily would be allowed to deny Dumbledore so straight-forwardly.

"I have to agree Albus. He gets enough attention with his... history. People would think it rather strange if he was also keeping confidence with the most powerful wizard in the world. I think he'd rather retain some semblance of normality to his peers."

"I suppose," the old man acknowledged with a small frown. "Do you spend much time with Harry?"

Snape glanced questioningly at the old man. This was heading in a direction he didn't like.

"Yes, I see him regularly. Why?"

"The wards around the door on the third floor tell me he's wandered upon it quite a few times. I wondered if he'd mentioned it to you."

"No. Did you tell Lily?"

"I haven't spoken to her yet."

"You don't think she'd like to know?" Snape's voice rose slightly in frustration. "Her only son is wandering around a corridor with a door that leads to a three headed monster, I think she'd be interested in knowing that."

"I'll speak to her as soon as possible Severus."

"If there's nothing else, I'll see you at dinner Headmaster." Snape didn't wait for a reply, he quickly left, still fuming. Only Albus Dumbledore could challenge his self control so thoroughly in such a short time.

~'*'~

"How did it never occur to you to mention this to me?" Lily demanded heatedly.

Lily was getting ready to meet Aerin for dinner in Hogsmeade when Snape had burst in to recount his conversation with the Headmaster.

"I assumed you knew about the stone. Each of the teachers were asked to place their own protection over the stone in order to ensure that none of the staff knew all of the spells necessary to get to it."

"Why would he hide it here?" she asked, fastening a dark green cloak around her shoulders. "Surely anyone who knows that Flamel gave it to Albus would look here first, why not store it in Gringotts?"

"They had it in Gringotts but thankfully Dumbledore removed it. The next day someone tried to break in to the vault it had been in."

"Break into Gringotts?!"

"The goblins were baffled. The thief obviously didn't get anything but how the person got in is concerning."

"Why didn't I hear about this?" asked the witch, taking up a small satchel and shrinking it before tucking it into her robes.

"It was in the Prophet but got pushed to nearly the back page. Apparently, sightings of the Potters in Diagon Alley were more profitable news in their eyes," Snape replied with a small smile.

Lily rolled her eyes and smiled in return. "I think we should tell Harry."

"What?" responded Snape incredulously.

"He's not stupid. If he knew what was behind that door he'd stay away."

"If Dumbledore didn't tell you I doubt he'd want an eleven year old child to know."

"Dumbledore doesn't have any business deciding what Harry does and does not know," she headed for the door. "We'll talk later, okay?" The hot tempered witch didn't wait for a response, exiting much as Severus had left Dumbledore's office moments before.

Snape looked after her, wondering if telling his friend had been the right choice.

~'*'~

Aerin had been nervous all day. She didn't know very many people and had little experience to judge her social interactions by.

She hadn't been allowed to go to Hogwarts as a child, the entire issue was her not having a wand. Though she did not realize it then, wandless magic was considered an impressive feat... for an adult. All manner of stories and theories filled Hogwarts by the end of her first week of practicing spells without a wand.

The other parent's had protested so loudly that the Headmaster had given in to the pressure and she'd been forced to leave school. She learned a great deal from her mother and several tutors, but she missed out on spending time with others her own age.

She hadn't really spoken to many people outside of her family and her biological father's clan until she had started writing historical essays. Meeting Lupin at a discussion about the origins of werewolves had really started her life as it was now.

The bell above the door tinkled and she waved Lily over. Sirius had told her as much as he could and she was impressed at the mother's resolve. Aerin had went into hiding during the last war. Half-breeds hadn't fared well during Voldemort's reign of terror. Of course she'd heard of the Potters but, like most people, had assumed all three had died. The woman felt like she'd known Lily for years, possibly because her face was in a dozen pictures around Grimmauld place.

Lily sat and the women ordered the same drinks and entrees. There it is again, Aerin thought, that feeling of familiarity. Her musings were interrupted when Lily began talking.

"I really don't mean to be intrusive, and I know we hardly know each other, but I was wondering," Lily paused for a moment while Rosemerta placed their drinks in front of them. "I was wondering if I might ask some personal questions?" The green-eyed woman looked hopeful, yet uncertain.

"Of course," the younger woman said, sipping her hot tea. "What's on your mind?"

"I don't mean any disrespect and it honestly doesn't make a difference to me-" Lily began.

Aerin put her hand up, ready to explain herself for what felt like the hundredth time since accepting her position at Hogwarts.

"I'd guess about half of what you've heard is true. My father was an elf. He and my mother had been best friends since she had wandered into the forest as a child. The rest is pretty standard for people like me. Arranged marriage with the father who raised me, mother's infidelity, family moved to the UK."

"You obviously get asked about it a lot."

"Wandless magic leads to a lot of questions."

"Speaking of wandless magic-" Lily stopped again, not sure how to continue. "How much interaction did you have with... your father's side?"

"I spent some time in the forests as a child and then a couple of years there after I turned sixteen. Why?"

"There's a situation that I need to use some older magic to overcome. I've read up on the spell work but I've never attempted something of this magnitude."

"Lily, I don't know. The devotion required to use Old Magic isn't something that can be used when you need it and then abandoned."

"Is that the only reason you wouldn't help?"

"It really depends on the actual spell you're talking about and the amount of magic necessary. I might have to ask Devlin."

"Who's that?" asked Lily.

"My biological father. He's the spiritual leader of my clan. You wouldn't be able to be present or the results could be the opposite of what we intend."

"Sorry," Lily laughed. "I belong to the Earth. I got distracted, I meant to start the conversation off with that."

A thought occurred to the half-elf.

"Who's your patron goddess?" she asked, feeling her excitement building.

"Freya, why? Is that important? The spell doesn't require specific loyalties since it's one of healing, protection, and extraction – it covers territory of many of the gods."

A grin spread across Aerin's face.

"I knew there was something about you that felt familiar. Freya chose me when I was a child. I haven't been of much use to her, as I haven't seen battle or had a child, but I knew her intentions would be revealed sooner or later. This might be it now, perhaps she chose me to help you. The spell will be stronger when done by two servants of the same goddess, what spell is it."

Sirius' fiance's face slowly fell as Lily spoke. The dark magic involved would complicate things more than Lily realized. They lowered their voices as they made plans for the next full moon's offerings. Aerin tried to seem hopeful but she knew that what Lily was asking would take more power than both women together could manage. All the same the pair needed to try. First things first, they needed to converse with Freya. They made their plans for Halloween night.

~'*'~

Harry awoke with a knot in his stomach. He hated Halloween. His mother had always been distant on the 31st of October. When she spoke it was with a fake happiness that made her depression all the more obvious.

His father had died ten years ago today. Harry had a book of pictures his mother had given him during the week they'd stayed at the Weasley's. He'd only seen two or three pictures of him before that, he now knew it was because there were only that many non-magical pictures of the man.

Harry pulled the book from his trunk and tugged the curtains closed around his bed. He watched as his father zoomed around on a broom, wrestled with Sirius, and kissed his mother on a park bench. He turned to the last page and stared at the picture for a long time. His father sat on the floor with Harry sitting between his legs. He was using his wand to make stuffed animals dance and Harry grinned and clapped with delight. Toward the end of the photo his mom set the camera down and his parents heads were out of the picture as she walked over. The camera was now focused on Harry as he stared up, grinning, at his mum and dad.

He could hear the other boys stirring around the room. Harry wiped his eyes and hid the book under his pillow. Through his curtains he heard Ron and Seamus start talking about the night to come.

Ron and the others hadn't spoken about anything except the feast and the festivities to follow for days. Harry tried to feign enthusiasm but didn't think he could manage it anymore. He waited until the room went silent before opening his curtains.

He nearly screamed when he opened them to find Ron sitting on his own bed, staring at Harry.

"Bloody hell Ron!"

Ron laughed, "Sorry mate. Didn't mean to scare you."

They laughed and Harry grabbed his wash things out of the trunk at the foot of his bed.

"I wanted to stick around and tell ya that we don't have to go to the feast if you don't want to. We could grab some food from the kitchen, Fred and George know where it is, and then we could come up here and play chess or something."

Harry looked at his friend, not sure what to say.

"And if you don't want to go to your mum's thing tonight I could tell her you're sick. Hermione'll go no matter what, so she could tell us what happened. We don't have to go if you don't want to."

Lily had told Harry about her plans for the ritual after the feast and he'd mentioned it to Ron and Hermione. Hermione had insisted on observing and Ron hadn't wanted to be left out. Lily had written to Molly and Anita Granger for their permission. Both women had said yes, although Molly had included rather specific instructions NOT to tell Arthur just yet.

As Dumbledore had not felt the need to include Lily in his secrets she neglected to tell him about her plans for the evening. As the three students would be entering the forest with two teachers, no wards would be set off nor any rules broken.

"Thanks, but I'll be fine," Harry's tone reminded him so much of his mother's that he nearly laughed.

This was going to be a very strange Halloween.

~'*'~

Lily and Aerin had spent the night before finding a clearing and talking to the centaurs. To be completely honest, Aerin had spoken to the centaurs. Regardless of her loyalties, the inhabitants of the Forbidden Forest refused to converse with Lily.

They had been led to a clearing and then spent hours preparing the space for their offerings. They moved stones by hand to form a large circle around the area. Using their magic the two witches moved three large stones to the center of the circle and carved runes upon the middle of each stone. This mix of their magic and their sweat honored their goddess by giving of their whole selves, magical and mundane. Finally they transfigured rocks into benches for the students to watch from.

Thinking of the work already done and what was to come, Lily felt anxious as she sat at the Halloween feast. She hadn't given a proper offering in a decade and was a little rusty on the ritual. She'd read through her book over and over but couldn't seem to calm her nerves.

Dumbledore stood up and spoke before the feast started but Lily wasn't listening. The five of them would leave after Harry, Ron, and Hermione had eaten. She nodded at the Gryffindors and motioned for them to hurry up. Aerin had already excused herself with a headache and would be waiting outside.

Snape watched Lily closely. He'd asked to come too, but Lily didn't want the negativity of his doubt to hurt their chances of getting Freya's blessing. The women were sure their goddess would be honored by the interest of the students but Snape lacked the open mind of the youths.

Lily watched as Hermione got up to leave. Harry followed a few moments later. Ron, always the last to leave the table, only got up after receiving a stern look from his friend's mother.

Lily wiped her mouth and excused herself to go check on Aerin. She was sure Dumbledore must now be aware of the many empty spots at the two tables, though his leaving would draw too much attention. She gave Professor Quirrell's empty spot a glance as she left but her mind was too full of other things to make much of it.

The five cloaked figures walked across the lawn and into the dark forest. All of them lit their wands, Ron's shinning quite a bit more dimly than the others, and walked down a narrow path.

Lily got shivers as they arrived in the clearing. Tearing off the corners of two bags the women poured a mix of seeds into lines, defining the boundaries of their place of offering. The moon reflected off of the stones and pale grains on the ground giving the area a glow that made the young mother feel more hopeful than she had so far.

The three students sat on the stone benches just outside the circle and watched in amazement as their teachers started the ritual.

Lily fell back into the motions easily. Her body completing the movements and her mouth forming the ancient syllables as if she had never stopped. She brought forth cuttings from her plants, tended both by magic and by hand. She brought out an old owl. Freya was one of the few gods who demanded a life well lived instead of a fresh blank life. The owl had spent its life in service to hundreds of students. It's history would please the goddess who valued hard work. Lastly she and Aerin stepped to the middle stone, still chanting, and cut their palms with daggers engraved with the runes of Freya.

Harry was transfixed by the sight of his mother. She seemed like a different person as she chanted and went through the motions of the ritual. He felt a sense of peace wash over him as her blood hit the middle alter. He knew he should be aghast at the sight of his mother's blood but instead he felt strangely at peace.

A perfect, beautiful voice filled his mind.

"Hello son of my follower. Do you know me?"

He nodded and thought 'Freya'. The word somehow felt wonderful in his mind.

"Your mother worries for you, she worries about what may come. She should not fear. I see in you bravery and greatness, Harry Potter. Things are happening at this moment that will change your future forever but I do not wish for you to fear. You have good friends and family, you are not alone Harry Potter."

He opened his eyes, not realizing that he had closed them, and wiped the tears from his cheeks. Vaguely he noted that Hermione and Ron were doing the same. He wondered why Freya had chosen to speak to him.

Hermione jumped up with a startled gasp and Harry noticed his mother and Aerin both laying on the ground. The boys followed quickly after their friend, unsure of what to do.

"They're both breathing," said Hermione, watching their chests rise and fall.

Professor Snape pushed through, surprising the students.

With waves of his wand and a few muttered words the women both woke up. Snape smoothed the hair back from Lily's face.

"You shouldn't have come out here. Are you alright?" He began sweeping his wand over her, muttering strange words under his breath.

Lily pushed herself into a sitting position and looked her best friend in the eye.

"The stone has been stolen."

***Hope you guys like it. I know it took me a couple days but it is pretty long :)***

**I will always try to PM you if you ask a question about the chapter in the review section**

**Note From The Author: ****  
**Old Magic refers to the worship of the Earth goddess and the use of the magic she granted wizards. It's a blood born trait, so there are no real "muggle borns", it can simply lie dormant for a few generations. But that blood born gift was originally given to humans by the god of the Earth or of the Sky. The Sky became the dominant belief point because it melded with the majority of other religions floating around the world. Those who still focused on the Earth were then considered pagans. There are demigods for both Earth and Sky but since those who worship the Sky believe in an omnipotent God, they simply focus on Him. Those who worship the Earth feel devotion to Gaea (the Earth) but rely on her separate demigods for specific concerns and power beyond what was originally given to them by Her. Wizards tend to side with the Sky or Earth instinctively because of who gave their ancestors their power but they can decide differently for themselves.


	14. The Twin Stones

***I Own Nothing. All Hail Our Queen***

**Some lines directly from cannon. Some ideas inspired by the absolutely stunning story Prince of the Dark Kingdom **

The shutters creaked on the old house as Quirrell stepped over the lifeless body of an old groundskeeper. Voldemort's joy was growing within him with every step he took into the security of the Dark Lord's ancestral home. Avoiding the most warped and termite damaged floorboards, he stepped across the room to an old easy chair. The last 24 hours were the most difficult of the former professor's life.

Settling himself down into the chair, he could feel his master's impatience but it hardly mattered anymore. Without a body of his own Voldemort's more powerful soul would destroy Quirrell's and take over his body. As soon as they drank the potion made by the stone he would be dead, in the mean time he was exhausted. Mentally he focused on his aches, cuts, and the rather large gash in his leg. Voldemort's anger lessened.

It wasn't out of pity for his servant's condition. Quirrell knew Voldemort wanted a healthy body not a limping, drained shell.

As the two sat there, Quirrell kept awake only by the background drone of his master's busy thoughts, a cloud crept over the old house. Quirrell's tired eyes made nothing of the stormy weather as it closed around them and began slowly using the stone in their pocket to drain their energy into the sky.

~'*'~

The castle looked peaceful as they returned across the grounds. The windows glowed brightly through the dark, far too many lights were lit for the current hour.

Their footsteps echoed in the empty entrance hall. Professor McGonagall rushed forward, waiving away their explanation of their recent whereabouts.

"Harry, Ron, Hermione, back to Gryffindor. You three," she said motioning to the professors, "better come with me, the Headmaster is asking for you."

"What happened Minerva?" Lily asked, pulling Harry closer to her.

"Not now Lily, please come along."

The three teachers looked back and forth between each other. Lily shook her head no, leaving Harry seemed like a very bad idea.

"Severus, please," the older woman pleaded.

"Yes, yes of course Minerva. Harry take the others back to your dorms-"

Harry and Lily began to protest.

"Lily, he'll be safe in the tower. Not now Harry," he said silencing the boy. "We'll come up when we're done." Snape nodded at Hermione and she led both of the reluctant boys toward the staircases.

The four teachers walked in silence toward the headmaster's chamber. Aerin was shaking and Snape placed his arm around her shoulders to calm her. The gargoyle turned to reveal the spiral staircase and faint murmurs could be heard from above.

"We believe that he let the troll in himself," came the unmistakeable squeaky voice of the charms professor.

"Yes, that makes sense," answered the older, deeper voice of the headmaster.

"But you assured me Dumbledore, you said the stone was safe! The tests were sure to stop any wizard, you said so!"

Lily raised an eyebrow to Snape at the whining voice of Cornelius Fudge. Walking through the door they took in a red faced minister, an irate Professor Flitwick and a stoic Albus Dumbledore.

"Ah, Lily! I trust your evening went well, yours too Professor O' Neill. I was just advising our Minister of the current situation."

"And exactly what is the situation, Albus?" asked Minerva, sitting in the nearest chair.

"He's lost it! One of his own staff let a troll into the school and then used it as a diversion to pass the tests and steal the stone," the Minister accused.

"Who?" asked Lily.

"Who else?" Snape's tone was dark and his childhood friend looked at him with concern.

"It was Professor Quirrell. He let a troll into the dungeon half way through dinner. He pretended to faint and Poppy took him to the hospital wing. After she left him with some pepper up potion we think he snuck into the corridor," Flitwick supplied from beside the Headmaster's desk.

"But why?" Aerin looked around in confusion. "He was still young, and he seemed so meek."

"Dumbledore and I believe that he might have been more than he seemed. He may have been part of a small group who are trying to reignite the ideas of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."

All three women exclaimed their disgust at the very idea and the little man waited for them to quiet down before continuing. "Most of the people who think this way are getting on in age. We think they may need the stone to keep some of their older members alive. The group is located in South Eastern Europe according to rumor and is far too small to afford the loss of any of its members."

"So what do we do now?" Aerin looked around the room. "We're facing a small group of people who can't die of old age. We can still physically attack them. The only real difference this might make is that their group will become more attractive the longer they are allowed to continue. Their membership will greatly increase with their ability to supply their followers with endless gold and immorality."

"Those two promises may attract greater men than we think," Dumbledore said looking at Fudge.

The Minister of Magic blushed, remembering their conversation on the night Albus had first been given the stone for safe keeping.

"Well yes, lengthening one's life can seem appealing to some. This group, if it exists, is thousands of miles away and the threat of Azkaban by the ministry would dissuade any sane man from joining. What's the point of lengthening your life if you'll spend the rest of it under the care of the dementors?"

"Is there anyway to find it Albus?" Minerva asked, ignoring the Minister completely.

A twinkle came to the old man's blue eyes.

"Ah yes Minerva, it may not be in the castle but I've got an eye on it," his grin made Fudge extremely uncomfortable but calmed the others. It was a grin that assured them that the stone wouldn't be gone for long.

~'*'~

Harry wanted to scream. The three of them had been curled up on couches in the common room for nearly an hour now. The other Gryffindors had all been awake when they came in, talking wildly about the troll; the older students speculating about how exactly it got onto the grounds let alone into the school.

Slowly the other students had gone up to their dorms and left the trio sitting in silence. Harry knew he was young. He hated when other kids got indignant at being treated their age, how else were they supposed to be treated? Still, he couldn't help but feel that his history made him count as older than just the eleven years he'd lived. How many other children had had to make the choices he had or dealt with the pure insanity he'd encountered over the past few months?

Yet here he was, stuck in the common room, waiting for the grown-ups to explain what exactly was happening. His anger was interrupted by Ron murmuring something next to him.

"What?" asked Harry irritably.

"Sorry," the red headed boy turned pink. "I just asked if you two heard what Freya said to me..."

"No," Harry responded quietly, regretting his tone. "I spoke to her about me though. Sorry I bit your head off, just a bit stressed."

"We all are Harry, it's going to be okay. Dumbledore has dealt with way worse situations than a troll in the castle," Hermione concluded by pulling out a battered book and flipping through the pages.

"During rituals it's common for each person present to hear a message from the god or goddess addressing their specific needs and questions. Very rarely do all participants hear the same message. Usually this will only occur when multiple direct servants of the god or goddess are connected by a common obstacle."

"Where'd you get that?" Harry asked eagerly. "Can I see it?"

"Your mom let me borrow it after lunch so I could get a better idea of what they were doing during the ritual," she explained as she handed over the old tome.

Ron scooted closer to Harry and read over his shoulder.

"How can you make this stuff out? It's not even in English half the time," Ron squinted at the page which was covered in foreign symbols mixed with familiar words.

"She gave me another book to help me translate. It's been really hard but I like the challenge. Your mom said there's an ancient runes course I can take in third year," Hermione looked positively elated at the thought and Ron looked at her as if she were insane.

"You want to take a class on how to read little pictures?" the red head frowned as he peered at the bushy haired girl.

"They're not 'little pictures' Ron, they're _runes_ and if you're serious about studying Old Magic with us you should probably take it too."

Harry looked up from the book, "Study with us?"

"Yes, with you and I," Hermione looked confused. "You are going to study it, aren't you Harry? There's a genealogy section in that book and Potter is one of the oldest surnames with Old Magic connections," she took back the volume and flipped to a fold out section near the end. "See? 'Potter, a family of fire'."

"I'm not sure Hermione, isn't this overwhelming? I mean this time last year if someone had shown you this exact same book, wouldn't you have thought it was just a bunch of fairy tales and made up non-sense?"

Hermione paused, looking down at the runes, "But you heard her Harry, what did she say to you?"

The words were etched into his memory, "Things are happening at this moment that will change your future forever," he whispered.

"The troll? How could a troll in the dungeon change your future?" asked Hermione.

"Maybe Freya meant that stone your mom was talking about when she woke up," Ron said, finishing with a wide yawn.

"That's right! Your mom said that the stone had been stolen." Hermione reached into her bag again and retrieved her copy of Hogwarts: A History.

"I don't remember reading anything about a stone in here," she flipped through the pages, her eyes scanning for anything she'd missed.

Harry just wanted to go to bed. His future was changed, whether he liked it or not. Yet as reluctant as he was to jump into a religion that required so much devotion, he longed for that beautiful voice to tell him again not to worry. The sense of comfort he'd felt during the whole ritual was now replaced by anxiety and fear. Goddess or not, he couldn't help but wonder if she'd been wrong, he couldn't feel any greatness in himself.

He was just about to give up on his mother coming back when the portrait swung open and she stepped through with Professor O' Neil and Professor Snape. The look on her face was as calming to Harry as the voice of Freya had been and the young boy unashamedly ran and hugged his mother.

~'*'~

Alastor Moody awoke to a burning in his pocket. Pulling a small red stone from where it was stored, he quickly switched the burning rock to his left hand, which had fewer nerves than the right.

He grunted as he pulled himself out of bed, fully dressed. He'd been practicing this mission for the past month. Whatever plan Dumbledore had in mind when he placed the stone at the school had apparently failed. When the Headmaster was sure it wouldn't work out, the chambers protecting the stone presented a rather perfect place to store the decoy stone.

The real stone had been left in Moody's care, the fact that half the wizarding world believed the old Auror was mad ensured no one would make a house call and accidentally see it. He touched the stone with his right hand and attempted to pull his scarred face into a grin. It was cooling down. When it was completely cold he would activate the charm to transport himself.

He grabbed his staff and stepped into the back yard. He'd recently taken up gardening, a tad emasculate, but it passed the time. Besides, if any one snuck up on him he'd enchanted his trowel to attack any intruders who didn't know the password.

"Abigail," he said quietly and the sharpened garden tool dropped on its course towards his head. His electric blue eye swiveled and examined a shadow in the corner of the garden.

"Are you coming then?" Moody growled and a young woman stepped forward from the shadows. Her hair was already cycling from a camouflage of grays and browns to a bright red for just a moment before settling to a mousey brown.

"Where are we going?"

"Depends. Can you follow directions? You're barely six months into training and the last thing I need is for you to slow me down, or worse, die."

"I brought my cloak," she answered, pulling a ministry regulation invisibility cloak from her bag. "I need observation hours to pass but you're always doing your missions in the middle of the night."

Mad-Eye grunted, "Stay under the cloak and don't get hit by curses. I don't know how many wizards we're heading toward."

"Should we call for backup?" Tonks asked, looking nervous now.

"This isn't ministry business yet."

"Yet?"

"Fudge only claims my side missions if they help him politically," Moody held out the stone. "If you want to come, come."

Nymphadora hesitated for a moment before touching the stone in her mentor's hand and together they were transported toward a storm covered house.

~'*'~

Voldemort had been planning this for years. He had long coveted the Philosopher's Stone but had thought himself too powerful to die and failed to obtain it during his reign ten years ago. He had chided himself a thousand times since his body was destroyed for not taking it sooner.

The Elixir of Life would give him the power to take over Quirrell's body and return to full strength. Making the Elixir would take time and patience but Quirrell was clever, weak willed and cowardly, but clever. Voldemort longed for his other servants. The company of the half-blood weakling was nauseating. Hearing the man's whimpering thoughts of aches and fatigue tried the Dark Lord's patience far more than he let the man know. Soon, he would be united with his dark followers, soon he would hear their excuses and give them the punishment they deserved.

Voldemort's thoughts became more scattered as he began to feel exhaustion overcoming him. After his many sleepless years the sensation was alarming. A moment before he lost consciousness he became aware that he felt magically exhausted as well. With the last of his failing strength both he screamed before falling into darkness.

Quirrell woke with a start. He felt even more sore than when he remembered before falling asleep. What was worse was how depleted his magic felt.

His master's silence brought him to his feet, wand out. He crept to the window and saw the strange clouds surrounding the house. A board creaked above him and he shot a stunner through the gaps between two boards.

Another creak came from the opposite end and he shot again. Even as he cast the spells he could feel his magic being pulled from him. He tried to apparate but stopped when he sensed resistance.

"MY LORD!" he screamed inside his head. "MY LORD I NEED YOUR HELP OR WE WILL LOSE THE STONE!"

A reply came from the back of his mind and he did as he was told. Attempting to run toward the door he felt the wound from the cerberus open and blood running down his calf. Reaching for the door handle he was blown backward the second it opened. As he hit the ground the red stone bounced out of his pocket and a sense of relief washed over him. Slowly regaining his strength, he moved behind a chair to catch his breath.

Glimpsing through a hole in the fabric he saw that it was clear went for the door once again. He heard something crack as he was thrown backwards once more.

Pain seared through his now broken arm and he began to whimper. "_Finite Incantatem_!" the Dark Lord's voice roared. When nothing happened Quirrell heard his master decide it must be an invisibility cloak. "_Accio Cloak!_" again nothing happened. "Must be ministry grade or better," the man spoke again, his voice not his own.

A board behind them shattered, whoever was attacking wasn't worried about causing a little damage to their bounty.

Quirrell peeked his head around the table he'd landed behind after his last attempt to escape. A green light flashed toward them and Quirrell lost control of his body all together as the Dark Lord yanked them out of the way.

"A mistake," Voldemort thought, "I should never have bound my soul to a body so weak. Where's the stone!?"

"It fell my Lord but-"

"SILENCE!" the voice roared through his mind and he physically flinched against the wall.

Heavy foot steps came down the stairs.

"Show yourself filth and I'll let you live out your life in Azkaban instead of spending your last moments begging for death in this decrepit house."

Voldemort could mentally hear Quirrell's opinion that Azkaban may be better than death and sent a wave of rage toward the tiny voice. Concentrating, Voldemort attempted to probe the room to find the enemies magic without a visible body. He sent a curse flying toward a magical signature before realizing it was simply where a spell had been cast to protect a coat of arms above the fire place. Quirrel's mind was too weak to distinguish between different types of magic. Glancing behind him, Voldemort saw that the boards the earlier spell had destroyed were covering a hole in the wall. Silently, he disillusioned himself, then cast "_Quietus_" and moved slowly toward the hole. A feeling of disgust grew in the pit of his stomach, he was crawling away from an opponent like a wounded animal, but he couldn't afford to loose this body with his soul so weak.

Voldemort felt Quirrel stir in the back of his mind as their hands touched grass. The storm clouds were gone and he ran toward the trees as fast as he could on his injured leg.

Making it to the treeline, Voldemort searched for the portkey that the constantly nervous professor had prepared just in case. He spotted the red can buried halfway in a pile of dead leaves and pushed all of his energy into reaching it.

Pain burst through every fiber of his being. He and Quirrell screamed in unison as their now visible body collapsed next to the pile of leaves. Convulsing with agony neither mind able to make sense of the fire in their blood.

A foot wedged itself under their stomach and flipped them onto their back. Mad-Eye Moody stood above them, wand inches from Quirrell's nose.

"Well Professor, you're a more difficult man to catch than I would have imagined. _Expell__ia__ramus_." Quirrell's wand flew out of his hand and into the auror's even as the force of the spell further punished the prone man's aching body. His broken arm screamed through the myriad of other aches clamoring in his head.

"Did you just use the Cruciatus Curse?" a voice asked from behind Alastor.

"Sometimes you gotta do whatever it takes to catch scum. If Dumbledore didn't want him for questioning I'd have already killed'em. You can't be too careful with dark wizards girl. Better them dead and you with a guilty conscience then them alive with a grudge."

Moody raised his wand to bind his captive but Quirrell pushed to the front of his own mind in time to reach out and grab the can.

Knowing that where they were going was safe, both souls let themselves fade into unconsciousness.

***Have questions? Ask away! Thanks once again to the wonderful Majerus who corrects what he needs to correct and fluffs what needs to be fluffed!***


	15. Familiar Stones

***I own nothing. All Hail Our Queen***

**Some components borrowed from the awe inspiring Prince of the Dark Kingdom**

***Hello my faithful readers! I'm so sorry it's taken me so long, before I was churning out about a chapter a week. Finals has really kicked my butt. When the semester is over I should get back on schedule! Keep the questions coming, I hope I answered all of them from the last chapter in this one***

~'*'~

Harry's nerves were still on edge. The wizarding world had waited with bated breath for news of rogue professor Quirrell after he had avoided capture by the aurors. Senior auror Alastor Moody had testified that the man had taken a bad beating during the attempted capture and that he might have died after using a portkey to escape. Moody had followed his statement with a warning to never underestimate an enemy and a prediction that Quirrell might be out there plotting to kill everyone. Hermione thought that the man was a bit mad, but Lily swore he was the best auror who had ever lived. Either way, no one had heard from or seen Quirrell since that night. Yet still he waited for the other shoe to drop.

Harry sank back into his seat as he felt the train pull away from the Hogwarts platform. The hills outside were covered in a blanket of snow and as they gained speed the world whirled by in a blur of white. The further the castle grew from sight, the further the stresses of the past two months faded from Harry's mind.

Hermione sat across from Harry, nose buried in another book of ancient spell work. Ron was prodding Scabbers, debating with Neville on whose familiar was more useless.

Harry felt content. He'd realized with the holidays approaching that he finally had the family he'd always dreamed of. The betrayal from within Hogwarts own walls had brought their little group closer together. Ron, Neville and Hermione had become the siblings he'd always wanted. Sirius was the perfect uncle and Snape was, well he was Snape, but somehow he fit too. This Christmas was going to be the best Christmas ever. He'd finally have that loud, crazy, memorable family gathering he'd jealously listened to his peers talk about in primary school.

The Potters and Weasleys were all staying at Grimmauld Place. Hermione was going home with her parents but they had plans to meet on New Years in Diagon Alley. Neville and his family were going to stop for dinner on Christmas Eve. Everything was going to be perfect.

Harry smiled and pulled his bright red carnelian from his pocket. He traced the dark red veins running through the stone and flipped it through his fingers feeling the familiar pulse of his magic. There wasn't much stored inside the stone, he wasn't experienced enough to send his own magic outside of his body without help, but it was there. Harry closed his eyes and, lulled by the rocking train, faded back into the memory of the week before.

~'*'~

Lily's green robe swept across the snow behind her. The three Gryffindors yawned in the cool morning air and hurried to keep up. Hermione made a half-hearted attempt to explain about magic being at its most intense in the early morning and late at night, depending on the moon, but yawned again and reverted back into a sleepy silence. Harry glared at the barely noticeable half moon still visible in the pinkish-blue morning sky. Lily warmed the large stones still set up outside the ritual area from Halloween and started a small fire. The four sat in silence for a moment, their breaths clouding the air between them. Pulling a small bag from her robes, Lily instructed the three friends to reach inside and each pull out a rock.

"Don't look at it," she told them and began to murmur a spell, drawing symbols into the air in front of each them in turn with her wand.

"You aren't always using magic but the body is always creating it," she said when she had finished. "With a lot of practice and discipline we can learn to focus that excess magic and place it into an object to use later. You can do this violently, but a piece of your soul is transferred into the item with your magic. That act is an abomination and denies you entrance into either of the after lives."

Harry studied his shoes. "A horcrux," he said quietly.

Lily looked at her son sadly. During the ritual on Halloween night they'd been given permission to remove the sliver of Voldemort's soul from Harry. The permission had not been given with out an obstacle, Freya had told Lily and Aerin that they would need help from the elves. Gaining the trust necessary for that help would be a long and diplomatically complicated process. The past few months had been far too hectic and they had yet to even start. She reached over and squeezed Harry's empty hand, then returned to the lesson.

"What you're training yourself to do is the origin of that dark magic, but the basic concept does not harm you or your soul," she smiled at each of them. "Close your eyes and focus on your magic. I've cast a few spells that should make it easier for you to sense it within yourself. Now focus on that glow, push it with your mind and try to direct that glow through you body and into the stone in your hand."

Harry closed his eyes and concentrated. He saw within his mind's eye a bright glow within his chest. He was surprised at the warmth of it and not quite sure how he was supposed to move it. He felt kind of stupid but attempted to nudge it and was startled by the glow's reaction to his "touch". It seemed to follow his will, though it spread as he moved it, becoming smaller than what he started with. He moved it slowly as his mother had instructed, pushing it through his body to his arm and concentrating on his outstretched hand. When he had mentally pushed the orb into the rock in his fist, Harry felt the stone begin to grow warm.

Lily explained that the stones were enchanted to respond to the magic inside of them. The stone itself would change according to the characteristics of the magic placed inside it.

"You can open your eyes when you've pushed your magic into your palm. Now when you feel the stone grow hot you can open your hand and look at it," Lily finished.

Hermione had been the first to open her eyes though Harry and Ron weren't far behind. Harry held onto the stone as it grew warmer and warmer in his fist. Hermione gave a yelp and opened her fingers to reveal a smooth, beautiful blue stone. She held it up in the dim morning light, the stone seemed to shine in the rays leaking through the trees around them.

"There's a rune!" she exclaimed and then paused a moment to translate it. "'Nurture?'" she turned her inquiring eyes to where Harry's mother sat grinning.

"It's fantastic that you recognized it so quickly!" Lily said, pulling a small worn book from the depths of her cloak. She gazed intently at the stone in the frizzy haired girl's open hand and flipped through the pages. "It's amazonite, a soft stone said to reflect tranquility."

Harry and Ron snorted, sharing the same memories of Hermione's antics if she failed to complete homework on the same night it was given to them.

Lily waited for them to stop and kept her focus on the now blushing young girl who, no doubt, was thinking something similar to that of her friends.

"The bright blue color accented by waves of white reflects the rune and your goddess perfectly Hermione. I'm assuming you were able to translate the rune so brilliantly because of its association with Anahita?" Hermione nodded, pleased at the praise. "I can't explain exactly why that specific rune was conveyed through your magic. It sometimes takes decades before people fully understand why their stone reacted in a specific way. Anahita is associated with hundreds of symbols but this word reveals the purpose for which she has chosen you.

Ron opened his hand, from the burning heat in Harry's palm he expected the skin of Ron's palm to be red but it was its normal whitish-pink tone.

"Hematite," Lily said without consulting her small book.

The black stone shone silver as the light glanced off it, unlike Hermione's stone there were no accent lines just a smooth, flat oval of rock that almost appeared liquid. The shape reminded Harry of the perfect skipping stone he and his friends had searched for by the lake that ran along the edge of their community in Marseilles.

"It's actually a gemstone Ron," Lily continued, "one of the densest and most sturdy."

Hermione leaned closer to Ron, examining the rune carved into the smooth surface of the stone. After a few wrong guesses and some hints from Lily she finally got it: "sustain".

"It will be easier to understand when you discover your patron god or goddess," the professor assured him.

Harry held onto his the longest, the rock growing hotter and hotter in his hand. He tried to quiet the gnawing anxieties at the back of his mind but he couldn't help but be hesitant. Over the previous month he had grown more comfortable with the idea of Old Magic. But now, sitting in this clearing, the words of Freya rang in his ears. All of this destiny and purpose stuff made him uncomfortable.

Finally he couldn't hold onto the stone any longer and opened his hand. The heat disappeared the moment the cool morning air hit the surface of the rock. Harry looked at the bright red stone in his palm and grinned, he couldn't explain it but he already felt a sense of ownership and almost something like loyalty to the thing.

Lily sat in silence for a time, considering the possible meanings behind the stone.

"It's a carnelian," she explained in a thoughtful tone, "it's commonly used to bring joy and energy. It was used in nearly every early society as a sign of power."

Harry turned the stone over and found his rune was not simply etched into the surface as the other two's were. Harry's rune appeared to have been burned deeply into the stone. He held it up for the others to see.

"Ignite," Lily stated.

~'*'~

Harry jerked awake. He hadn't realized that he'd fallen asleep and glancing out the window, he saw that they were fast approaching the station.

The closer they came the more excitement the boy felt welling up inside of him. Shoving his stone into his pocket Harry sat up and nearly burst out laughing; not only at the look of pure frustration on his female friend's face but the cause of that frustration.

Ron was attempting to teach Hermione wizards chess.

Hermione was arguing about the historical inaccuracies of the pieces but her argument didn't stop the resounding crunch as Ron's queen pulverized her king.

"Well alert the Quibbler!" the red haired boy said loudly. "Miss-know-it-all has finally found something she's not good at."

"Besides flying you mean," Neville chimed in with a small grin.

Hermione huffed at the boys and turned to Harry who was tugging at his messy hair. The usually unruly mess stuck straight up in the back where his head had rested against the seat while he was sleeping.

"Good, you're finally awake. I wanted to remind you to bring your homework with you to Diagon Alley on New Years so we can compare. I'd remind Ron but we both know he won't remember."

Ron gave the girl a sour look and continued carefully putting away his hand-me-down chess set.

"Can't we all compare when we get back to Hogwarts?" asked Neville. "I want to make sure I did ma Potions essay right."

Neville watched as the other three exchanged a look. He rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Oh, you're going off to the woods I take it? Couldn't you do your stuff during Christmas break?"

"The next full moon isn't till after we get back. I'm sorry Neville! I'll leave my essay with you so you can look it over," Hermione said with a sympathetic smile. "You could always talk to you parent's over break about coming out with us. You should be allowed to make up your own mind."

Neville shook his head, "I like being a Catholic. I don' think they'd _disown _me if I wanted to become a pagan, I just don' really want to. Not that there's anything wrong with it!" he rushed on.

"It's fine," Harry shrugged, "we know we're doomed to be in the minority for the rest of our lives."

"And our afterlives Harry," Hermione added matter-of-factly, pulling down her trunk as the train came to a stop.

Harry felt his stomach clench at her words. What kind of eleven year old wants to make decisions about their afterlife he thought with a grimace. He said nothing but started to pull his trunk down too.

Ron opened the compartment door and they slowly made their way down the noisy, crowded hall of the train.

Stepping onto the platform the group split off. They yelled out good byes across the crowd, Hermione promising to send owls reminding them to do their essays.

Ron opened his mouth, probably to shout back something about her being an infuriating book worm Harry thought with a grin, but he was interrupted by Ginny. The young girl was nearly bubbling over with excitement about staying at Grimmauld place. Arthur and Molly would leave for a few days before Christmas to go visit the oldest Weasley brothers, who Harry had yet to meet. For Ginny this meant a mass of opportunities for mischief that had never been available before, it being her first time away from both of her parents.

Lily, Arthur, and Molly stood to the side waiting with empty trollies waving the boys over. Fred and George greeted Harry like they had never met him, pumping his arm up and down and yelling his name so loudly that surrounding parents craned their necks for a chance to see the-boy-who-lived. Molly gave the twins a withering look and the group hurried off the platform.

Harry and Ron were the last to go through the pillar and nearly ran into Percy who had gone just before them. Their entire group was stopped by platform nine. Ron stood on tip-toe, trying to see what was holding everyone up, Harry pulled their trolley to the side and laughed when he saw what was so fascinating...

A large group of people, muggles and wizards alike, were standing in a circle around a man in a top hat and cape. In sparkling gold letters the man's sign boasted that he was the most fantastic magician in all of Great Britain. Harry's mother looked at him and jerked her head at Arthur who was standing at the very front of the group with Molly pulling on his sleeve. Lily rolled her eyes and Harry mouthed that he was going to find the restroom, she nodded and turned back to the show.

Harry passed a small gift shop as he wandered off toward the nearest men's room. He hadn't found a good present for his mum yet and wondered if Molly would help him find something while she was in Romania. Now that he thought about it Harry wasn't sure if his knuts and galleons would be accepted in other wizarding countries. He filed it away to ask Ron when he got back.

He reached toward the door handle and paused when he heard a voice from the shadows. He turned his head and curious green eyes met cold grey orbs flashing from a face that was shrouded in enchanted darkness. Harry felt his body stop moving. He tensed and tried to cry out but he couldn't open his mouth or move at all. He felt himself turn and walk away from the bathroom in the opposite direction of his family. Harry tried to make eye contact with the people walking by, maybe they would see how scared he was and help him, but no one looked at the eleven year old boy with his father's messy hair and his mother's eyes. Harry felt his arm reach out and he take a man's hand as if Harry was a child. From the corner of his eye he tried to make out anything about the figure but he couldn't force his mind to focus on the person standing next to him. Harry used every ounce of will power he had to look at the stranger but he couldn't turn his head.

The man said nothing and as the two moved further from the crowd the loud tapping of the man's cane on the tiles echoed through the emptying halls. When they had moved far enough away to not draw attention to themselves, the two of them walked behind a pillar and disappeared.

*** Much due thanks to Majerus for editing! His suggestions and corrections are what really make this story readable. Three cheers for him! Check his story "Jean" for a fantastic take on the what-if life of our dear Miss Granger. He's really very brilliant! And thanks to the good chunk of you who waited a whole month for a new chapter and are already reading and reviewing like it's been no time at all! You're wonderful. See you very soon!***

-Archaic Words


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